Unchained Melody
by choose joy xox
Summary: The past year of their young lives has been dominated by confrontation with the anonymous stalker known only as A. Spencer and Toby, along with the rest of the Liars, have had enough and are ready to end it. But will it really be that easy? Will everyone get out alive? A Season 4 rewrite to be made more Spoby-centric. Read, enjoy, and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Guys! This story was in my head and it just wouldn't let me be until I wrote it out. I hope you love it!**

**If I had to describe my plans for this I would call it a Spoby-centric season 4 rewrite. Some things will be similar, but somethings will be VASTLY different. This chapter is probably going to be the most similar to then show. Everything else I have planned is really different.**

**What can you expect? DRAMA, angst, sadness, fluff and like all the genres. But I love writing angst, just in case you haven't read my other stories. Also, Hanna is far and away my second favorite Liar, so you can expect more of her than the other girls. AND that's all I have to say.**

**Updates will likely come once a week. Probably on the weekend. More Than Words is my priority until it's done, and I am getting busy with my thesis. I don't want to promise more than I can do. But if you get extra chapters a week there's no complaints from you, right?! ANYWAYS, review and love it hopefully! LOVE YOU ALL.**

Chapter 1

SPOV

Fog descended along the subtly sloping forest floor. The last time she had run through these woods weighed heavy on her mind, but she had much more important things to be concerned with right now. Primarily, catching a view of Red Coat. This bitch had been torturing her and those who were closest to her for an indeterminate amount of time, and she wasn't going to stand for it any longer.

Her foot caught on a tree root and she just barely managed to stay upright. Apparently she could be stealthy every single time other than when she absolutely had to be. A flash of red caught her eye and she immediately ducked behind an overgrown beech tree. Toby's words played throughout her overworked mind. _She doesn't see you. _She couldn't let Red Coat see her. The only way that they were going to be able to end this was if they somehow managed to get an upper hand on their enemy. She wouldn't let her friends down.

The red clad figure paused and slowly her head to the side. A shock of blonde hair met her eyes before they were drawn elsewhere by a flickering orange light to her right. _Fire._

With one last longing glance at Red Coat she turned on her heel and sprinted back in the direction of the Lodge. Her heart hurt as she approached and saw the burning building. If this bitch hurt even a single hair on any of her friend's heads then she would destroy her. The clearing unfolded before her eyes and her scanning gaze zeroed in on her three friends stirring on the ground with Mona kneeling next to them.

"-Alison."

She walked up at the end of Mona's explanation, and waited impatiently for her to continue before she could ask for further elaboration on what the hell had occurred.

Hanna cleared her throat and glanced uneasily at her former best friend. "I saw her too."

Well waiting be damned. "Wait, you guys saw Red Coat?"

"She pulled us out of the fire. I may have inhaled some smoke, but I don't think that it was enough to confuse me to the point that I wouldn't recognize Alison if I saw her," Hanna said softly, punctuated by a hacking cough.

Spencer sucked in a gulp of the cool, evening air. "No, you guys don't understand. I saw Red Coat too. And there was no way she beat me back here with enough time to pull the four of you out of the fire and then run away without me having seen her at all."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Aria asked, her voice dripping with confusion. "There are two of them?"

She shrugged, the cool fall air chilling her to the bone. What she wouldn't give for some kind of warmth right now. "I don't know, but if you guys saw someone in a Red Coat and I saw someone in a Red Coat it's the only thing that makes sense."

"We need to get out of here," Emily mumbled from still on the ground. "Someone had to have called the police by now, and we really shouldn't be here when the arrive."

It was as though at Emily's words she was awoken from a trance. _Toby._ "Have you guys seen Toby?"

Aria hesitated and pulled herself up. "Spence, are- are you sure that he wasn't a part of this?"

The chill from the wind was nothing compared to the icy glare that emanated from Spencer's tired, mocha eyes. She would hear nothing against Toby. Not after everything he had done for the four of them. "I'm going to find him. Stay if you want, but if you leave him you'll have to leave me too. I won't leave without Toby."

She turned and ran through the woods, dodging branches and avoiding the spindly roots shooting up from the ground near the base of the trees. The last thing she needed was a concussion. All she knew, all she cared about, was that she needed to find him. My God, she had just gotten him back. She had just gotten the chance to touch him and to talk to him, something that she never thought that she would be able to experience again. There was no way she could lose him now.

A subtle movement ahead caught her eye, and she slowed down. Toby wasn't a threat to her, but she didn't know who else was in these woods. Red Coat, A, or any number of Rosewood's abnormally large population of creeps could be prowling through the shadows. As quietly as she could she walked across the forest floor, dodging anything that may make noise. The closer she got to the movement more certain she became that it was a person. But what person?

A soft moan came from the prone figure, and the tone was one that was forever burned into her memories. _Toby. _Quiet be damned. She ran as quickly as her feet could carry her and dropped down on her knees next to him. "Toby, are you okay? What happened?"

Her hands trailed lightly over the back of his head to help him up, and her concern grew as her fingers brushed over an apple sized knot near the crown of his head. "Did someone hit you?"

He winced slightly and nodded, using her arms to pull himself up the rest of the way. "I'm fine," he rasped out. "Just a really nasty headache."

Her hand quickly found its way to his chin. Using the minimal amount of force necessary, she tilted his chin upwards and peer into his eyes checking for any sign of concussion. The clear blue seemed as vibrant as ever, the pupils weren't dilated, and she didn't see any sign of blood. Satisfied, she released his chin and pulled him into her arms for a hug. His arms responded immediately, one wrapping tightly around her waist, and the other cradling her head to his shoulder.

"Are you okay, Spence?" His husky voice sent shivers down her spine. For too long she had only dreamed of hearing his tone laced with this kind of concern, but she didn't think it was possible; first because she believed him to have been on the A team, and then because she thought that he was dead.

"I'm fine, but we need to get out of here. A set the lodge on fire when I was out looking for Red Coat." She reluctantly peeled herself from his secure embrace and stood to her full height, reaching a hand out to assist her unsteady boyfriend to his feet. _Boyfriend. _Even after all this time she still really liked the sound of that.

He nodded and took her hand, mostly using it to steady himself as he hauled up his own weight. She wasn't a weak, little flower. Sometimes Toby made her modern feminist side weep and want to like burn her bra or something. And other times she loved being treated as though she was something fragile and priceless. Talk about the epitome of mixed feelings.

"Where did you leave the girls?"

Toby's question withdrew her from her feminist rant and caused her to focus on the dire matter at hand. "Back at the Lodge. The were stuck in the fire and they needed a breather."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye as the trudged off toward the smokey remains. "So instead of waiting for them to recover you decided that it would be a good idea to trudge through the woods, that may have been crawling with A's minions and wild animals, alone? Spence..."

As they approached the clearing she could hear the muted voices of her friends and Mona. She couldn't quite understand what they were saying, but the stress in their voices was undeniable. "I wasn't going to leave you alone out here either. Just let it go, because everything is fine," she said softly, not particularly wanting their stressful moment to be overheard.

Toby looked like he wanted to argue, but he was adorably reserved. She knew that he wouldn't argue with her in front of other people. His hand reached out and gently grasped hers, slowly lacing their cold fingers together. Their hands clung to each other like a lifeline. With everything that was going on in their lives every moment was filled with uncertainty. But when they were together it always felt like everything would be okay.

"Spencer," he murmured, "I love you."

She smiled and gently squeezed his hand. "I love you too."

They walked together to the five girls. Hanna smiled at the sight of the two of them together. Once Hanna had found love in Caleb she had literally transformed into a hopeless romantic overnight. Most likely it had always been inside her, but her insecurities had overshadowed that side of her. It was very gratifying to see that kind of joy emanating from her best friend. The four of them had always had a very special relationship, especially since the apparent death of Alison. But she and Hanna had always had always been especially close.

"Can we please get out of here? I don't know about you guys, but I'm expecting A to hop out from the trees with a chainsaw." Hanna shuddered and started walking toward the car without waiting for permission from the others.

They piled into Spencer's car, but she passed her keys to Aria to drive and sat on Toby's lap in the backseat. Mona sat next to them and kept shooting Toby accusing glares, which was actually incredibly amusing. Spencer had spent the past few months believing that Toby had betrayed her in the worst way possible, and that was almost solely Mona's fault. Now some of that was reversed, and it was wonderful. She still had a lot to discuss with Toby, but she trusted him implicitly. There had always been something off about him being A. It was just incomprehensible that he would do that to her. That's why she went to his apartment after she saw him in her kitchen. She knew that there had to be more to the story. Everything just made more sense now.

"What is that?"

Spencer shook her head slightly to bring herself out of her thoughts and glanced out the window. "Is that Wilden's police car?"

Hanna sucked in a quick breath. "Stop the car. Seriously, stop."

The car lurched to a stop on the side of the road, and it had scarcely stopped before Hanna jumped out and strode of toward the car. "Damn it, Hanna." Spencer sighed and crawled off of Toby's lap and out the car. She could hear the other girls and Toby climbing out behind her, but she paid them no mind.

"Han, come on, we have got to get out of here," Spencer grabbed her best friend's arm and tried to pull her back to their vehicle. "We can't be seen here, Hanna."

Hanna simply brushed Spencer off and opened the passenger side of the car, peering inside for clues. As Spencer watched her inspect the car she felt Toby's calloused hand press into the back of her neck. "Spence, what's going on?"

She sighed and turned around to face him. "Mrs. Marin hit Wilden with her car, and no one's seen him since. They pushed the car into the lake and no one had seen it until now."

He nodded and pressed his lips together. "We really need to get out of here."

"Guys, there's something going on back here."

Emily's worried voice was about the only thing that could have drawn her attention from Toby. She grabbed Toby's hand to ensure that he would follow after her and followed the direction of Emily's concerned gaze. "I think that there's something in there."

Spencer crouched down and peered through the small crack where the trunk closed. She noticed a large, solid object inside and bit her lip as she stood up. "There's definitely something in there."

After closing her eyes momentarily to harness the courage that she'd need she reached out with her right hand and grasped the edge of the trunk. Another deep breath passed through her nose as she flung open the trunk. When she saw what was inside most definitely the most horrifying sight that she'd ever seen; possibly excluding what she thought was Toby's cold, dead body. Detective Wilden's dead, vacant eyes stared back at her. Her eyes traveled down his body. Nausea almost overcame her when she noticed the ominous stain of blood that covered the entirety of his chest. The blood was clearly still wet, meaning he hadn't been dead for long. A strangled sob escaped her tight throat and she whipped around to bury her face in Toby's shoulder. His hand supported the back of her head as his lips pressed against her hair. "We need to go. Now."

Spencer nodded and looked up, taking the horrified expressions on all of her friend's faces. They had come up behind them after hearing her horrified reaction. "Aria do you need me to drive?"

"Unless you want me sitting in Toby's lap you had better go ahead and let me do it," she laughed nervously and climbed into the driver's seat.

Spencer and Toby returned to their spot and Emily slid in next to them. "Where are Hanna and Mona?"

"They're still at the car. What the hell are they doing?" Aria asked in an annoyed tone. Her hand ghosted over the top of the horn. Before Spencer could warn her how dumb of an idea that was Aria pulled her hand back and put it in her lap. Her friends were so smart.

Emily rolled down the window and leaned out of it. "Hanna! Come on we have to go!"

Hanna gestured wildly. Because she knew her so well she knew that she was telling them to shut up and that they'd be there in just a moment. Hanna was rather reckless and impulsive, but this was taking it to a new level. The last thing they needed was to be associated with another murder. Let alone the murder of a police officer.

Just before Spencer was ready to climb out of the car and drag her back herself Hanna turned around and climbed into the front seat. "Go! Mona isn't coming with us. Hurry."

Aria didn't have to be told twice. She pressed down on the gas and sped down the road. Now that Mona wasn't there Emily scooted over to make room for Spencer on the actual seat. She reluctantly slid off of Toby's lap and into the middle seat. "Why isn't Mona coming with us? Too busy destroying lives and framing us for Wilden's murder?"

"Don't be so cynical, Spence. I think that she's really trying to help." Hanna's soft and vulnerable voice sounded from the front seat. Spencer typically had a compulsive need to be right, but this wasn't the time. Mona had really hurt Hanna, and if it made her feel better to have a little bit of hope than she would let her have that.

The crunch of the gravel beneath the tires of the car alerted her to the fact that they were back at her house. "My parents are gone for the weekend. Maybe we should all stay together tonight? I don't want to be alone."

Emily nodded emphatically. "There's no way that I'm staying alone tonight. All I'm going to be able to think about is A creeping into my room, murdering me, and sending my dead body through a meat grinder. And then the psycho would probably put me into sausage and feed me to you guys for breakfast."

Spencer opened her mouth to respond but then closed it immediately. Part of her thought that it was a ridiculous thing to say, but then another part of her didn't want to comment because it honestly seemed like a plausible premise. She couldn't put anything past A at this point.

"I've never been so happy to be a vegetarian," Aria laughed nervously.

The girls walked together into the Hastings house, but Toby grabbed onto her arm and held her against the car. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips before resting his forehead against hers. "Do you want me to stay with you, or are you just wanting to spend time with the girls?"

"I would much rather spend time with you, but I know that they don't want to be alone. And everyone else has their parents at home, so this is the only place we could all be together. But you should absolutely stay here with us." She leaned up to kiss him. When their lips broke apart their hands joined together and they walked into her house.

"What were you guys doing?" Hanna asked suggestively. Her eyebrows wagged with a grin.

Spencer rolled her eyes and plopped down on the floor with her back leaning against the couch. "Just talking. Is everyone doing alright?"

Aria opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a sudden barrage of text tones. The girls all exchanged wary glances, having been much to used to this situation to assume that it was a coincidence. No one but A would text them simultaneously. Spencer glanced to her right and her stomach flipped with worry when she saw that Toby had gotten a text. All that she had done to keep him safe from A had been for nothing. Although she supposed that he shot that in the foot the moment he donned the infamous black hoodie.

She tore her eyes away from her boyfriend's concerned face and glanced down at her own text message.

_You're mine now, bitches. -A_

The text also contained an attachment, and she had a sinking suspicion that she knew exactly what it was going to be. Once the picture had loaded she was proven correct. The shot showed the four girls and Toby peering into Wilden's trunk, the body clearly visible. But of course Mona was no where in sight. The A team must protect their own. That bitch wanted to make it seem as though she was just as much a victim as the rest of them were, but Spencer wasn't buying it. Mona had burned them enough times in the past that if they trusted her they truly deserved what they were getting. Fool me once and all of that.

This wasn't about keeping their secrets hidden anymore. That was irrelevant. This A was threatening the people that were closest to her, and that wasn't something she was going to stand for. She didn't care what the cost was. She would end this once and for all.

-A POV

She stalked down the quiet hallway, and upon seeing nobody she slipped into her rickety, twin sized bed. The pillows that had cleverly hidden her absence were quickly rearranged for support under her weary neck. Those bitches were dumber than ever. The entire night had largely gone just as she planned it, and she knew that terrorizing them would be just as fun as it had always been. Maybe even better.

Better sleep tight bitches, while you still can.

**Next Chapter**

_They were acting weird. Usually she was more eloquent than that, but weird was the only word for how her friends were acting. She snapped her Calculus book shut and made to stand up._

_"Spencer, come to the bathroom with me?" Aria asked as she exchanged a nervous glance with Emily and Hanna._

_The suspicion was back full force. What was going on?_


	2. Chapter 2

**I had this done, saw that my first chapter got EIGHT FREAKING REVIEWS and though eh, why not! I'll go ahead and post it! We all need some Spoby action since Keegan Allen isn't in PLL tomorrow! Well, it's after midnight in the Midwest so, HAPPY PLL DAY!**

**REVIEW and let me know what you think! You can expect the next chapter on Saturday unless I get 10 reviews. If that happens I'll update as soon as I finish the chapter.**

**LOVE YOU!**

**Also, some of you might have already read this. Sorry it's not a new update. I just saw a glaring mistake I couldn't help but fix!**

Chapter 2

SPOV

Some people were consistently discouraged by the fact that they had to go to school every morning, but Spencer didn't understand those people. School was one of her favorite parts of the day. There was something incredibly gratifying to see the fruit of your knowledge proven every day. She lived for moments when her hard work paid off in tangible ways; getting a perfect score on a tricky test, being asked to tutor a poorly performing classmate, winning an award, being able to help her friends with a subject that was giving them trouble.

But since -A had come into their lives school was no longer a safe haven of knowledge. For the first time in her life she was struggling with education. Earlier she had gotten back a Calculus test, and she had gotten a B on it. _A B! _No, she couldn't let that happen again.

"Spence, why are you staring at that book like you want to kill it?"

She sighed in frustration. "I survived Mona with straight As and now I'm basically failing everything."

Hanna raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Wait, you got an F on something? Has the world ended?"

"No, I got a B in Calculus. A _B." __  
_

The table was met with a brief pause before all three of her friends burst into hysterical laughter. Aria shook her head and threw a balled up piece of paper in Spencer's direction. "A B is hardly failing, Spence."

She dodged the paper and stifled a laugh as it almost hit Sean Ackard at the neighboring table. Whoops. "B is for Bad," she said stiffly as she looked back down at her book. Usually she loved having study hall as her last hour of the day, especially considering all four of them were put in the same class. Whose bright idea was that? Not that the four of them were complaining. It was optimal -A theorizing time. But today she really needed to focus and they were making it nearly impossible.

Emily cleared her throat. Spencer rolled her eyes and lifted her head to see what she wanted. "Yes?" She asked, punctuated by a frustrated sigh. Usually she would feel badly for her poor attitude, but Emily's smile didn't waver in the slightest. Someone was in a particularly good mood.

"What are your plans for after school, Spence?"

What kind of question was that? It's not that she didn't want to tell Emily that she just planned on studying. It was the fact that she knew what Emily's plans were; swim practice like she had every single Tuesday afternoon. It wasn't as though Emily could hang out with her, so she was honestly just not sure why she cared.

She smiled tightly before looking back down at her book. "I must have not made myself clear. I got a B! I need to study. Calculus is really abstract."

Hanna looked up from her nail polish to give Spencer her trademark look. She liked to call it her 'I'm about to drop a serious knowledge bomb, so shut up and listen' look. "Spencer, you thought your boyfriend was dead, landed in Radley, helped us escape from a fire, saw a dead body, and _still managed to get a B._ You're like an educational Superman! But like Superwoman. You're not a boy."

Aria gave Hanna a dubious look. "Han, I'm not sure whether to laugh or to tell you to shut up?" She ran her hand through her hair and turned back to Spencer. Had Spencer not known her so well she wouldn't have thought anything of it. Maybe she was nervous about a test or something at home. But no, that wasn't it. They were plotting.

Without giving Aria a chance to speak Spencer scanned the table, briefly making eye contact with all of her friends. "What has gotten into you guys? Have you been scheming?"

"Us? Scheme? Why would you even assume that? We're just making conversation with our favorite brainiac." Hanna flashed Spencer her most innocent smile while tightening the cap on her lemon yellow nail polish. Only Hanna would ever try to match her nail polish to her hair. Actually, Hanna probably even had matching underwear on.

It was even more amusing that Hanna was the one to say that. Were they ever to make scheming a profession Hanna would be the world's leading expert. "Alright then," she laughed and turned to Emily.

"How's swimming going, Em? Have you heard back from Stanford yet?" The brunette had recently applied for admission to Stanford University. The scout had expressed interest in her and her long-time girlfriend Paige, and now Emily could think of little else. And for good reason; getting a scholarship to Standford would be an incredible accomplishment for her.

She smiled, but shook her head. "I haven't heard from them yet, but I talked to the scout and he said that there wasn't much of a chance that they wouldn't accept me. I'm actually really excited."

"You should be!" Spencer had always kind of wished that she was free to go to whatever college she desired, but she knew that her parents expected her to attend the University of Pennsylvania just as they and Melissa had. And she supposed that she could do worse, but it still would have been nice to make that decision for herself.

The bell rang signaling the end of the school day. Thank God, maybe she would be able to get home and actually get some work done. Flunking out of high school wasn't exactly a priority for her.

Instead of jumping up like she usually did Hanna looked down at her phone and exchanged panicked glances with Emily and Aria. What the hell?

They were acting weird. Usually she was more eloquent than that, but weird was the only word for how her friends were acting. She snapped her Calculus book shut and made to stand up.

"Spencer, come to the bathroom with me?" Aria asked nervously. Her tone was nervous, but her face suggested that she had accomplished some kind of minor victory.

The suspicion was back full force. What was going on? Part of her wanted to refuse, but a greater part of her wanted to make sure that she was okay. If she was going to try to weasel information out of someone Emily would be her first choice. A few well placed sad glances were enough to convince her to spill. But as a second choice Aria wasn't bad. Hanna was great at spilling other people's secrets, but she kept her own under lock and key.

"Um, okay?" She responded slowly, her tone dripping with unvoiced suspicion. But she didn't really care. They knew her well enough to know what she was confused.

Once they took the short walk to the bathroom Aria bit her lip and closed her eyes like she was thinking hard about something. So, clearly Aria drew the short straw and had to distract her while Emily and Hanna did whatever they were trying to hide from her.

"Aria, you don't have to distract me. I'll stay in here as long as you need me too. I don't know what you guys are up to, but you aren't hiding it very well," she laughed and leaned against the mirrored wall, half hoping that Aria would just admit what was going on.

She hesitated before replying. "I mean I am supposed to distract you, but I also wanted to talk to you."

A small measure of concern replaced some of her suspicion. "What's going on?"

"I- I just miss Ezra. And I don't know, I guess I just thought that with everything you had gone through with Toby that you might understand better than the other two. I mean, Toby loves you obviously, but you still had to be without him for a really long time. And you thought..." Aria trailed off, not wanting to remind Spencer of the time that sent her to Radley.

Spencer didn't want to think about those days either. Not after she had gotten back everything that she lost. But she couldn't help the waves of guilt that crashed over her. She was the reason that Ezra and Aria had broken up, no matter how many times Aria told her otherwise. Her intentions were the purest. She believed that she could take the -A team down if she could infiltrate the inner circle, but it didn't work out the way that she had intended. She may have gotten Toby back, but she also had destroyed her best friend's relationship and kidnapped a seven year old.

She bit her lip and looked at a spot over Aria's shoulder, not particularly wanting to make eye contact. "Have you been able to talk to him at all?"

Aria shook her head and opened her mouth to say something. But she immediately snapped it shut and decided to take another track. "Spence, I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty. Look, I understand why you were helping Mona. I wish I had been brave enough to make that same decision."

Her friends were too forgiving. She stood by her decision. It really may have worked had things worked out slightly differently, but that didn't change all of the trouble that she caused. "Thanks, but seriously Aria. You really should try talking to him. It's more than obvious how much he loves you, and if you're so sad about it maybe you talked yourself out of the relationship too soon."

"But Malcom..."

Spencer shook her head and cut Aria off. "Just because he has a kid doesn't mean you can't still be together. Your relationship has to change, but that doesn't mean that it still can't be okay."

Aria didn't even bother to respond. She just took two steps forward and wrapped her tiny around Spencer, pulling her into a tight hug. "Spencer you're the best. Seriously."

Spencer laughed and backed away, gently pushing Aria's shoulder. She didn't know why Aria was thanking her since she was the one who screwed it all up to begin with, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. If she had earned Aria's forgiveness then she would readily accept it. Now it was time to work on forgiving herself. "Hey, you don't have to thank me. We're Team Sparia. It's what we do."

Aria smiled distractedly in response. Her phone went off and she slid her phone out of her back pocket to check her text message. The broad smile that stretched across her face confused Spencer. How had the midget gone from depressed to elated in like 2.5 seconds?

"Spence, come on. My distraction duties are done." Aria linked her arm with Spencer's and lead her out of the bathroom.

Her nose wrinkled in confusion as she looked down at her tiny friend. "Hold on, I need to stop by my locker first. I'm going to have to defeat the Calculus monster tonight, and in order to do that I need to don my weapon of choice, more commonly known as a graphing calculator."

Aria laughed, but she didn't relent her grasp on Spencer's arm. "Trust me, you're not going to need it."

She unequivocally disagreed with Aria's assessment of her need for her calculator, but she figured that once they showed her what they needed to show her she could come back and get it. And honestly, it said a lot about her trust in these girls that she was allowing this to happen. Typically a surprise would send her running away in embarrassment and annoyance. If she had to guess she would assume that they wanted to cheer her up, which was silly. Her current level of joy was unmatched by anything she had felt in recent memory.

They walked out the front door and down the main steps of Rosewood High School. Aria pulled her to a stop, and Spencer glanced up to see why their motion had ceased. All of their cars were in the back parking lot. The confusion evacuated her body as her eyes met the ocean blue eyes of her boyfriend. Of course he was involved. Of course he was. If there was anyone who lived for a surprise it was Toby freaking Cavanaugh.

Uncertainty was never something that she appreciated, but were she to go forward into the dark unknown there was no one she would rather have at her side than Toby. She couldn't hold back an excited squeal as she threw herself into his already outstretched arms. The time they had spent together last night already seemed as though it was so long ago. Once you thought that the person whom you loved the most in the world was dead there was not enough time in the day to spend with them. But because she was Spencer Hastings, she couldn't blow of school. Her intelligence was unrivaled by most of her classmates, but as evidenced by her Calculus grade, she wasn't infallible. Silly things like sleep and attendance were necessary.

Toby responded to her excited reaction by wrapping his muscular arms tightly around her lithe frame and chuckling into the side of her neck. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," she murmured, the truth ringing in every word she said. She had spent so long believing that he didn't love her that if she spent too long away from him she may start believing that again. But as soon as Spencer saw the adoration in his eyes she knew nothing could be further from the truth. They were made for each other. "What are you doing here, Toby?" She asked him quietly.

Hanna giggled from behind them. "He's being sneaky and adorable."

Toby blushed a little bit and released everything but her hand. "I was talking to Hanna when she came by the Brew yesterday and she told me what you had planned for our anniversary. And since I turned your romantic gesture into the worst night ever I felt as though it was time for a redo. The girls were distracting you while I finished up."

She opened her mouth and then shut it again. It wasn't often that Spencer was at a loss for words, but at this moment she could think of nothing to say. "I love you, but you know that you didn't have to, right? Having you back is more than enough."

He lifted a hand and pressed it to her cheek. Spencer couldn't help but leaned her face into it, the simple gesture enough to cause her heart to flip. How could he not see how utterly perfect he was? How could anybody not love this sweet, perfect boy?

"Trust me, there's no better way that I could have spent me evening. But I couldn't have done it without these three." He gestured to her friends with his free hand.

Spencer turned her head to take them in and her smile only grew as she took in Hanna's figure bouncing with excitement. "It was like that episode of Gossip Girl where Blair, Georgina, and company tried to take down Bart Bass by being schemers for hire. Excited Toby enlisted us to use our mad skills for good!"

Emily snorted and pinched Hanna's arm by her elbow. "Did you seriously just compare our lives to Gossip Girl?"

"Ouch! But really, they could totally make some drama out of our lives. We should probably consider selling the rights to our story to HBO or ABC Family or something once we figure out who -A is." Hanna's eyes traveled earnestly from person to person searching for support for her latest hare-brained scheme.

Spencer rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on Toby's hand. "Alright, we're going now. Thank you guys. Love you."

She could hear their farewells as they walked away, but she was busy focusing on Toby now. What could he possibly have planned for them? She sincerely hoped that he wouldn't try to recreate the exact date that she had planned. All was forgiven now, but she didn't think that she could emotionally handle any visual reminders of that night.

As they approached the truck Toby released her hand so that he could open the passenger side door for her. He steadied her arm to help her climb in and softly shut the rickety door behind her. God, this truck contained so many memories. Their first confession of love, plenty of make out sessions, break ups, make ups, and everything in between. When she had purchased it for him she never fathomed that it would become such a symbol for their relationship.

Toby slid into the driver's seat and clasped their hands together. "Tell me the truth, were you surprised or did they let it slip? I can never tell with you."

"Really?" She asked somewhat shocked. "A lot of people tell me that they can read me like a book."

He hesitated before elaborating. "Well, that day you- the day you found about about me and Mona. You had found the badge by the time I had brought you the flowers, right?"

She knew where he was going with this, and she didn't want to talk about it. But he sounded like he needed to know. She could offer up a bit of discomfort to provide him with the answers that he sought after. "Yes. I found it around noon in your junk drawer when I was looking for a pen. I- I honestly don't know how I held it together. I didn't want to believe it, and I knew that I needed to prove it. There was no way I was going to confront you about it and then have it not be true. The key that Hanna found gave me the perfect opportunity."

"You- You've realized by now that I was set up, right? Mona wanted you to find that badge. I always kept it between my mattress and my box spring. And she also must have cut the hole in my pocket one night when I changed at the lair. I know that doesn't excuse what I did, but I never intended on you finding out like-"

"Toby, let's not talk about this, okay? I love you and I forgive you. Nothing else needs to be talked about right now." She said softly, cutting off his rambling explanation. She didn't need or want to know the dirty details. All that mattered was that he was hers again, and that she knew that he loved her.

He nodded silently as he pulled into his parking space behind the Brew. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"If I didn't know that by now I would think that you should seriously start questioning my intelligence. You've gone above and beyond the boyfriend duty, Toby. I know you love me. And I love you too."

He smiled before climbing out of the car. Over a year of dating Toby had taught her better than opening her own door. Chivalry wasn't dead when it came to her boyfriend. When he opened her door it wasn't because he didn't think that she was capable, but because he wanted to physically express his affection for her. She had learned to appreciate it.

When he opened the door she slid off of her seat. Her hand reattached itself to his. "So what exactly do you have planned for me?"

He paused at the bottom of the stairs and gave her a hesitant smile. "Actually, do you think that you could close your eyes?"

"Are you seriously?" She laughed uneasily and looked at him in confusion. He didn't really expect her to close her eyes, did he?

He nodded with a smirk. A rather sexy smirk, for that matter. God, he didn't realize how attractive he was. Toby squatted down in front of her. "Hop on."

This was ridiculous, and had it been anyone but Toby should would have immediately refused this unnecessary request. She had climbed these stairs enough times since he had moved in that she could have safely made her way up them with no issues at all. But if it made him feel better to give her a piggy back ride then who was she to deny him? Especially after he had gone through the trouble of recreating this evening for them.

She reluctantly piled on top of his back. "Are you sure I'm not too heavy? You don't have to give me a piggy back ride, you know."

"Spence you weigh less than nothing. If you weren't talking in my ear right now I might have forgotten that you were back there. But point of interest, why is it called a piggy back ride?"

It was her favorite when people asked her a question that she knew the answer to. It was more than obvious that he was asking her to get her to be quiet, but she still couldn't resist answering his question. "The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but most agree that it's a bastardization of the phrase pick-a-back."

He laughed as the reached the door. His had hovered over the knob. "You never cease to amaze me, Spence. Are your eyes shut?"

"Yep!" She popped the p and snapped her eyes shut. They totally weren't shut before.

She felt as he slowly opened the door and carted her inside. "Keep them shut," he murmured as he lowered her to the floor.

Spencer couldn't help but laugh at his eager voice, but she complied to his wishes. He was so excited that she couldn't imagine ruining this for him. She could hear him rushing around the living room, but the other noises gave no indication as to what he was doing. The acrid, sulfuric smell of a match met her nose, which most likely meant that he was lighting candles or a fire. That would definitely add to the romantic atmosphere.

"Okay, Spence, I'm going to grab your hands. I just didn't want to scare you." He slipped a hand in each of hers and led her slowly across the living room. When they had gone a few steps he paused and put his hands on each of her shoulders. "Okay, open your eyes."

Spencer slowly fluttered her eyes open and scanned the room. As she took in her environment she gasped and covered her shocked mouth. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and try as she might she couldn't hold them back. "Toby," she breathed and turned to look at him.

**Next Chapter**

_"Spencer. Spencer please listen to me. I know that you don't want to talk about this, but I need to. I need you to hear me, and I need to know that you understand why I did what I did." His desperate eyes bore into her own, his typical calm, ocean blue transformed into a stormy grey. Unshed tears welled up at his eyelids and he reached out with both of his hands to grasp hers._

_"Toby, I-" _

_He shook his head and cut her off. "No. Don't try to placate me or explain what I did away. I had good intentions, but I went about it the wrong way. I owe you an apology, and I'm not going to be able to rest until I get it out. Please Spence."_

_It was unnecessary, but that's not what he wanted to hear. "Okay."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! I hope you love it! I know there hasn't been a lot of drama yet, but wait for it! If you've read any of my other stories you know how much I love me some drama! It picks up a LOT in the next couple chapters. You can expect the next chapter by Wednesday. Probably sooner!**

**Review and let me think. Sidenote, DID YOU LOVE PLL ON TUESDAY!? I totally loved it! And I'm so excited for Shadow Play.**

**Also, I got a couple reviews asking about Haleb. I PROMISE YOU, Hanna has a HUGE ROLE in this story. Which leads to a lot of Haleb moments. But this IS PRIMARILY a Spoby story. So there will be more Spoby than anything. If you don't like that then... sorry I guess?! Read and enjoy!**

Season 3

SPOV

_Spencer slowly fluttered her eyes open and scanned the room. As she took in her environment she gasped and covered her shocked mouth. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and try as she might she couldn't hold them back. "Toby," she breathed and turned to look at him._

She couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. Her hand ran up the back of his head and she grasped a handful of his hair to lightly keep his head against hers. Here in this moment she couldn't imagine a life without Toby Cavanaugh. Just when she thought she couldn't love him more he proved her wrong.

He chuckled when they came up for air and briefly pressed his forehead against her own. "Does that mean you like it?"

Spencer was very different from most girls. Of course, she took pride in her appearance. She wanted to look nice when she were to venture out in to public. But unlike most girls she was not a hopeless romantic. Logically she knew that she would never fall so deeply in love with someone that she would lose the traits that defined her in the process. Most important was remaining true to herself. But then she met Toby and realized that she didn't have to lose who she was to fall deeply and passionately in love with someone. Not when that someone loved her for exactly who she was. The complemented each other as individuals.

She nodded eagerly and turned back to the set up that he had so obviously painstakingly arranged. The candles and roses were organized for optimal aesthetic pleasure. Had she not been with her friends all day she would definitely assumed that one of them had helped him. But apparently there was a touch of Martha Stewart in all of us, even her carpenter. She could smell something cooking, which piqued her curiosity. Toby had never cooked for her before. They had always eaten out, ordered takeout, or she had manned the kitchen. This was new.

She turned back to him and pulled him into her tight embrace. "You didn't have to do this, but I love that you did. This is completely perfect."

He smiled and reached over to flip on his stereo, the soft sounds of soothing jazz poured out of the speakers. "Are you hungry?"

"I actually didn't know that you could cook," she laughed and reached for his hand. "But yes, I would definitely love some food. I forgot to grab my lunch this morning, and the cafeteria was serving some nasty meatloaf thing."

"Well I can't promise that this will be your most delicious meal ever, but it's not meatloaf. I know all about your ongoing battle with ground meat," he chucked and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Everyone made fun of her, but ground meat was nasty. "It's a texture thing! I try to stay away from things that are the same texture as a brain."

His hand found hers again and led her to the couch. "Relax and I'll bring the food out here. Why don't you pick a movie for us to watch?"

"So if I pop in my well worn copy of _The Notebook_?" She questioned suggestively. She actually had no desire to watch that movie, but she wanted to see what his reaction would be.

A poorly concealed look of disgust passed across his face, but he quickly transformed it into a serene shrug. "Whatever you want. Tonight's for you."

She laughed and walked over to their shared collection of DVDs. The fact that he was busy expecting some kind of massive chick flick would make the relieved look on his face when he saw some kind of explosion all the more gratifying. They had seen _Taken 2 _in theaters together and enjoyed it, so it seemed as though it would be a fairly appropriate choice. She slid the case off of the carefully alphabetized shelf and slid it into the DVD player.

"Are you ready for some poorly prepared pasta?"

Spencer turned around with a smile and perched on the edge of the couch. "I appreciate your use of alliteration. Poorly prepared pasta and cheesy action-filled dramas are the perfect pairing. The only thing that would make it better was a bottle of red wine."

"Actually, speaking of that..." Toby trailed off and set the two plates down on the coffee table. He reached behind the couch, pulling forward a bottle of wine.

She snorted out a laughed and grabbed the bottle. "Are you kidding? You really did think of everything!"

"A little blonde birdie told me that you really love this brand, so I thought you might appreciate it," he soft softly. A light pink tinge stained his otherwise pale cheeks, signaling his embarrassment over her praise. "But I didn't do anything that you didn't deserve, Spence. And I- I'm sorry for screwing it up the first time."

Her heart hurt for him. He felt so much needless guilt. She wasn't mad at him. "Toby, I've already told you that you don't have to apologize."

A small growling noise vibrated through his throat as he bent over and buried his head in his hands. "I do Spence. I don't want to ruin our night, but I think it will be all the better if we discuss this first."

She put her hand on his back and paused before answering. "Can't we just forget about it?" Even as she said it she knew that it wasn't going to be an acceptable path for him.

Toby shot up so fast that it made her jump and moved to his knees direction in front of her. He just looked up at her for a moment before speaking. "Spencer. Spencer please listen to me. I know that you don't want to talk about this, but I need to. I need you to hear me, and I need to know that you understand why I did what I did." His desperate eyes bore into her own, his typical calm, ocean blue transformed into a stormy grey. Unshed tears welled up at his eyelids and he reached out with both of his hands to grasp hers.

"Toby, I-"

He shook his head and cut her off. "No. Don't try to placate me or explain what I did away. I had good intentions, but I went about it the wrong way. I owe you an apology, and I'm not going to be able to rest until I get it out. _I love you. _So much. More than anything in the world. But I think you know as well as I do that our relationship is never going to be able to truly move forward until we talk about this. Please Spence."

It was unnecessary, but that's not what he wanted to hear. "Okay. So when did you start working with Mona?"

A long breath blew out of his nose as he contemplated the best way to answer her question. "I hadn't been working with her all that long by the time you found out. I told you I was going to figure things out for myself, but I truly had no idea how to do that. I got that job in Buck's County, and as mad as I was at you at the time, I didn't want to leave. You wouldn't tell me anything, but I knew that something was going on with you and that you were in trouble. But I was running short on money and I had to go. While I was there Mona came to me to convince me to join her."

She hadn't wanted to talk about this, but now that they were she knew that it was stuff that she needed to hear. Toby had worked hand in hand with Mona, who was their only known connection to -A. They had to figure out who -A was. "How did she try to do that?"

"She- she reminded me of all of the reasons that I had to hate you and your friends; my year in juvie, getting blamed for Alison's death, homecoming." His words were reluctant, as though he were unwilling to remind her of the darker days before the beginning of their relationship.

The way she had dealt with Toby was inexcusable and not her finest moment. "I know I've said this before, but I'm so incredibly sorry for all of that. I should have stopped Ali. I should have taken the time to get to know you. I shouldn't have been so quick to judge."

Toby released one of her hands, and moved so that he returned to his previous spot next to her on the couch. He tightly grasped her hand with both of his. "Water under the bridge. I don't blame you for any of that. Not anymore. But as soon as Mona began speaking I realized that you had lied to me, and that -A was still harassing you. Mona mistook my anger for support for her twisted cause, which gave me the double agent idea. I agreed to work with her because I wanted to take this whole network down. At the time it seemed worth it. I would have preferred for you to be safe and hate me forever than to have -A constantly threatening you. But nothing worked out the way that I had hope. It turned in to a disaster, and I can't apologize enough for hurting you."

"Toby, you're not the only one who made mistakes. When you were gone I- I kissed Wren." She bit her lip and looked down at the ground. This wasn't something that she wanted to think about, but he needn't shoulder the guilt on his own when she deserved her fair share of it.

His hands tightened around her own. "I know. Somehow Mona figured it out and she told me in the hopes that it would convince me to finally be done with you. But Spence, I can't be angry with you for that. I can't. I practically threw you into his arms. You believed that I was done with you. How could I have expected you to behave any differently? Please, Spence just tell me you forgive me."

Spencer didn't move for a moment. This conversation was bringing forward emotions that she would much rather keep buried. "Like I told you in the motel, I understand why you joined Mona. I made the same decision that you did. It made sense, and I can't fault you for that. But..."

He waited patiently for her to continue, despite the fact that he had to know what she was going to say. "Toby, I- I thought you were dead. I thought that I found your cold, dead body in the woods. And I l-lost touch with reality. I got sent to Radley, and I spent _weeks _believing you were dead. It destroyed me. I thought that you betrayed me in the worst way possibly, but God, I still loved you more than anything. The thought of living in a world without you was just too much. I wanted it to be over. I-If I saw you hurting the way that I _know _you saw me I would have done anything to alleviate that pain. And I just am having a hard time getting past that if I think too hard about it."

His hands released hers and instead pulled her to his side and cradled her head to his chest. During the lull in the conversation she listen to his heart beat and matched her breathing to it. That did more to calm her raging emotions than any words could have. They were alive, they were together, and they were connection.

Toby began to gently run his fingers through her hair. "Mona tried so hard to get me to hurt you, but I always refused. I made every excuse in the book to avoid it; I even went as far as to hide out in a remote motel. When I found out what Mona did to you I was livid. I wanted nothing more than to come back and let you know that I was alright. I was going to do it, but then I talked to Lucas-"

Spencer sat up abruptly, cutting him off. "Wait, Lucas?"

"You didn't know?" His forehead wrinkled in confusion.

She supposed that this was exactly why they needed to have this conversation. "We suspected awhile back, but we didn't know for sure. So he's on the A team?"

Toby shook his head and reached for her hand. She stretched out to meet him, suspecting that physical contact would make this conversation infinitely easier. "Not really. He hated Alison so Mona was able to convince him to help her a bit at first, but once he became close to Hanna he wanted to leave. At that point Mona began to blackmail him. Once he transferred she had to let him go, because her blackmail material was contingent upon him being at Rosewood High."

She nodded and looked down. "What did Lucas tell you?"

"He knew I wasn't really on Mona's side. After the confrontation between him and Mona I confided in him, so he was up to speed on what I had hoped to accomplish. He told me that nothing had changed, and that Mona was more dangerous than ever. And that if I went to you that would destroy everything I had worked for. You might have never forgiven me, and I would have ruined any chance I had at protecting you. I know I hurt you Spence, but I thought that I was protecting you. In retrospect I would have handled it differently, but I don't regret working to keep you safe." By the end of his speech Toby's words were more confident. He was unsure about so much, but he did protect her. He did keep her safe.

She hesitated, not sure what to say. Part of her was touched beyond words. He dropped everything to do whatever he could to protect her. Not only did he risk losing her, but he risked everything, including his life. But another nagging part of her reminded her that that didn't alleviate the pain that she felt while in Radley. That would always be a part of her. "What did you do for Mona?"

"Before you found out I did more. I was the one who met Hanna at her fake internship interview, but considering you found the key I'm sure you've guessed that. I didn't mean to hurt her, and I felt terrible about it after. I actually still need to apologize to her about that. And I slashed Emily's tire when she was in the woods with Paige. She almost caught me, and part of me wished that she had. Maybe if your friends knew you would have been able to avoid Radley." He had done a commendable job at maintaining eye contact, but at the end he diverted his gaze. It wasn't hard to tell that he felt guilty.

It was like they were transported back to the Motel. All she wanted to do was pull him into her arms to comfort him, but right now she had one more question that she needed to ask. She wouldn't be able to get it out if she didn't maintain her focus. "Toby, do you know anything else that might be helpful? Any other -A team members?"

He shook his head, his eyes still on the ground. "The only people I ever worked with were Mona and Lucas. Like I told you in the hotel, all I know is that Red Coat is in charge. She came to see Mona in Radley, and in exchange for helping her Red Coat gave Mona a way to get out."

Spencer nodded and without hesitating she turned to the side and cupped Toby's face with both of her hands. He had felt guilty for long enough. "Now it's time for you to listen to me. I _was_ hurt; unbelievably so. I hope I never feel pain like that again. But I can live with that, accept it, and move on as long as I have you. When you're here everything feels okay again. Just- just never leave me."

Her breath hitched at the sight of tears in his eyes, but she continued on immediately before he hand a chance to interrupt her. "I forgive you. I'm not mad at you. You did what you thought was best, and it might have worked had things just been a little different. You risked everything for me. Just when I think I can't love you any more than I already do you prove me wrong. You've got to let this needless guilt go. That will be what holds us back. I've forgiven you. Do you think that you can forgive yourself?"

Without speaking Toby leaned forward and wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders. His face buried in the side of her neck, and she could feel his tears dampening her warm skin. "I'm not gong anywhere Spencer. I'm here for as long as you want me. And I can't say that I'll forgive myself for hurting you right away, but I'll work on it. _I love you."_

She didn't move for a second, rubbing his back and waiting for his tears to die down. Sometimes all that was needed was to ones emotions. When she felt him calming down she moved one hand to the back of his head and began to slowly run her fingers through his hair. "Do you want to play Scrabble?" She suggested carefully. They definitely needed a pick-me-up after that, and Scrabble always seemed to cheer them up in their worst moments.

He chuckled and pulled away, wiping the vestiges of tears from beneath his eyes. "Of course."

"I warn you Cavanaugh, my skills have only grown stronger with age. You should probably prepare yourself for a thorough ass kicking." She forced herself into sounding more cheerful than she really was. If he saw that she was okay then he would start to slowly forgive himself.

"We'll see about that." He laughed and pulled away from her to grab the game board.

* * *

Spencer couldn't stop the grin from overtaking her face as he laid out the word pizza. He thought he was doing so great, but little did he know how long she had been waiting for that Z. She quickly laid out the letters to form the word muzjiks. "And with the double word score and the fifty point bingo bonus that's 128 points."

"What? No way that's a word!"

His incredulous tone caused the grin to widen even further. "It was the tsar's word for his Russian peasants. And with that I believe that I win."

She waited until he nodded in reluctant agreement before standing up in an awkward victory dance. "My Scrabble goddess title has been restored!"

"I'll get you back next time, Spence." His reluctant tone made his statement all the more amusing. And it was funny, because it was probably true. Toby was unbelievably awesome at Scrabble. He was the only person who had ever been able to defeat her. Even her amongst her family she was undefeated at Scrabble.

Her text tone vibrated out from her phone on the coffee table. She sighed softly and reached for it, not really wanting to talk to anybody else. Her friends knew better than to contact her tonight considering they helped Toby to plan this, and her family didn't care enough to check up on her. If it was -A she was literally going to lose her mind. She opened the text and her forehead wrinkled in confusion when she saw that it was from Hanna. That wasn't going to lead to anything good.

_I'm so sorry Spence, but S.O.S. We're downstairs. Bring Toby._

Hanna was ridiculously romantic, and if she was interrupting their anniversary than something huge was wrong. Especially if she told her to bring Toby, because they typically did their best to keep things between the four of them. What was wrong?

She looked up at Toby. "Something's wrong. I don't know what, but they wouldn't be interrupting if this wasn't crucial. They want me to bring you."

He leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Hey, we can come back up here later. Let's go figure out what's wrong."

His arms wound their way around her waist and led her toward the door. She felt badly for allowing her friends to ruin their night, but she couldn't help but smile at how wonderful he was. They slowly walked down the stairs until they came across her friends in a secluded corner. To her surprise, Caleb was also there, and he was comforting Hanna, who looked more upset than she remembered seeing her. "Guys, what's going on? Han? Are you okay?"

Hanna looked up tearfully and sniffled, shaking her head no. "My mom just taken in for questioning by some new detective."

Spencer sat down next to her and but her hand on Hanna's shaking knee. "What for? What do they think that she did?"

"They think that she might have killed Detective Wilden."


	4. Chapter 4

**This is already a really long chapter, so I won't bore you with an author's note! Just a few things. First, the next chapter is almost done. And I will post it either on Wednesday or when I get 7 reviews. Whatever happens first.**

**Let me know what you think, okay? **

**I promise the Haleb is coming. They're in the next chapter some, but they make a really big appearance in, I THINK, Chapter 7. So have patience, my dears. I love Haleb to the moon and back. I can't do without them for too long.**

Chapter 4

SPOV

_Spencer sat down next to her and put her hand on Hanna's shaking knee. "What for? What do they think that she did?"_

_"They think that she might have killed Detective Wilden."_

She coughed in shock, that having not been at all what she expected her to say. "Excuse me?"

"Spencer, don't make me repeat myself. I'm about to have a mental breakdown and you're not helping," Hanna snapped and jerked away.

If it had been anyone but Hanna she may have been offended, but she knew that was how Hanna dealt with stress. Lashing out was self-destructive behavior, but honestly she didn't blame her in this situation. There was no way that Mrs. Marin did anything, right? She was much too smart for that.

Caleb shot Spencer a sympathetic frown before crouching down next to Hanna and wrapping her arm around her shoulder and murmuring something into her ear. Hanna smiled slightly despite herself and leaned into Caleb's side.

She was so glad that Hanna had found someone like Caleb. After spending years under the passive ridicule of Alison DiLaurentis it was so encouraging that it hadn't completely and permanently devastated Hanna's self-esteem. After her weight loss her confidence had grown, but what really helped her grow into the person she was today was finding someone like Caleb Rivers, who knew everything about her and loved her anyway for exactly who she was.

Spencer bit her lip and knelt on the ground in front of Hanna to get her attention before talking. She didn't particularly want to endure another verbal lashing, but she would risk it for the sake of her friend. Aria and Emily stood close behind them so that they could hear them clearly. "Han, what excuse did they give for taking her in?"

"They found my dad's gun with her fingerprints on it in a freaking trashcan. They said that if they found out that it was the same kind of bullets that killed the dick then they would arrest her. I just seriously don't understand. My mom didn't do this! She couldn't do that. It must have been -A." Hanna put her face in her hands. Her shaking shoulders were the only evidence that she was crying.

Emily's comforting hand found its way to Hanna's back, just below where Caleb's arm rested. "What can we do, Hanna? Do you want ice cream and cheesy romance movies? Trashy magazines? Gossip? Just to cry? Let us know what you want so we can help you."

Hanna shook her head and lifted her gaze to meet her friends' eyes with her duller than usual baby blues. "I just wanted to let you guys know what's going on. I need to get home. My dad's there waiting for me."

Caleb stood up and held his hand out to help her up. "I hope you realize that I'm coming with you."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," she said softly. She gave him a longing glance before turning back to her friends and giving each of them a hug.

When she got to Spencer she held her for a little longer. "I'm sorry for snapping at you, Spence. I know you were just trying to help. I'm sorry for interrupting your hot date with your newly returned hottie boyfriend."

Spencer shook her head against Hanna's shoulder. "Don't apologize for stupid things. If you hadn't sent me that text I would have been much more upset. Call me tomorrow, okay? I'm sure everything will be fine, but we can come over tomorrow and cheer you up, okay?"

Hanna nodded and pulled away to go hug Toby. While she was distracted Spencer walked over to Caleb. "She's going to be stubborn and act like she doesn't need anyone. Hanna is nothing if not predictable. Call me if you think we should come over."

He nodded. "Don't worry, Spencer. I'll take care of her."

"I know you will. She's lucky to have you." Spencer put her hand on his arm before turning around and walking back to Toby.

When she reached him he wrapped her into his solid embrace. "Are you alright?"

She nodded into his shoulder. "I just feel terrible for Hanna."

"You don't think that Mrs. Marin did it?" He asked her hesitantly.

"No. Mrs. Marin is impulsive and protective, but she isn't dumb. She's intelligent enough to know that this wouldn't have ended well, and she loves Hanna too much to risk hurting her like this. No, this has to be -A."

He nodded and lead her toward the stairs to his loft. "There's nothing to be done about it tonight. Do you want to finish our movie?"

What kind of a question was that? Of course that's what she wanted. She wanted to cuddle up in his arms and never face the outside world again. But she supposed that it was a valid question after everything that they had been through in the past few days. "Of course I do. Can I stay with you tonight? My parents are out of town and after everything I- I don't think I... want to be alone."

He bent over to press a gentle kiss to her temple and opened the door in one seamless motion. "You don't even need to ask. I'd feel better if you stayed with me anyway."

"Aww how cute."

The lights were still off, but she would know that voice anywhere. She would never admit it to anyone, but it was the voice that she heard in her nightmares. Hearing it here in Toby's living room, the one place where she was supposed to feel safe, caused shivers to run down her erect spine. _Mona._

Toby's grip on her shoulders tightened infinitesimally as he led her inside, pausing right behind the closed door. She could practically read his thoughts. This way if they had to escape their path was short and clear.

"Mona, what are you doing here?" The cheer and serenity that so often colored Toby's voice were starkly absent. All that was left was coldness and anger. It made the words nearly unrecognizable as his own.

"Aw Toby, don't act like you aren't happy to see me after we got oh so close." Mona's characteristic drawl slipped out her red coated lips as she slowly lifted herself from Toby's overstuffed couch.

Spencer had been content to let Toby deal with the unwelcome intruder, but Mona's implication was more than she could take calmly. "Cut the crap, Mona. Why are you here? Either talk or get the hell out."

"Easy there Spencer. You're about as threatening as a wet house cat, but I need you to calm down and listen to me. I didn't come here to bait you, as fun as it is."

A large part of her wanted to tell Mona exactly what she thought of her. But another part of her actually wanted to see what she had to say. It wasn't all that often that Mona told the truth, but there was a degree of sincerity in her voice that wasn't usually present. She didn't trust herself to speak without further offending her, so she contained herself to a quick not of agreement.

Mona smiled, satisfied by Spencer's compliance. "I found some new information. And I think that this might be a way that we can figure out who Red Coat is. But I can't do anything with it."

"Something that Mona Vanderwaal can't do? That's interesting." Sassy Toby might be her favorite of all of the Tobys. He was obviously one hundred percent done with Mona, and she was glad to see that he was taking no more of her shit.

"Listen to me. This is serious. And Toby," Mona paused, "it involves your mom."

She felt him stiffen next to her. Toby so rarely showed adverse emotions around others that she felt as though it was necessary for her to take the reigns on this one. "What are you talking about, Mona?"

"It also involves Mrs. Marin and Detective Wilden. I was doing some digging after our little campfire incident and I came across some interesting information while rifling through the archived files at Radley."

This piqued Spencer's interest like nothing she had yet heard. "Mona, stop beating around the bush and tell me what you found." She grabbed Toby's hand and led him to the couch. His hand was shaking slightly which only increased her concern for him. But she couldn't be distracted by that right now. She had to figure out what Mona knew and then she could spend the rest of the evening making sure that he was okay.

Mona perched on the edge of the arm chair and passed Spencer a file full of papers. "I came across the police report for Marion Cavanaugh's suicide, and things just don't add up. There were some red flags that I noticed. I don't think other people would have realized that they were issues. First, Detective Wilden signed off of the report. We all know that he was dirty. Secondly, the upper floors of Radley are inaccessible alone. They're firm believers in the buddy system over there. They wouldn't have let them up on the roof, but from the third floor it would have been relatively easy to sneak up the rest of the way. So Toby, unless your mom was up to something as sketchy as me there was no way that she was up there alone. I guess you would know that too, Spencer. Thirdly, they say that she jumped from the roof. I know for a fact that that would not be possible. There is no way that she could have cleared the window sills and awnings."

Everything that Mona had just thrown at them took a moment to sink in. What was she saying? Spencer took a second to glance at Toby and was alarmed by how frighteningly pale he was becoming. "What are you trying to tell us, Mona?"

She leaned forward, her eyes shining with excitement to match her earnest tone. "I didn't understand either, but I knew that there was something going on. The Radley employee that signed off on the report was Eddie Lamb. He was my favorite nurse while I was there so the next day I paid him a visit with some cookies. There's nothing like my chocolate chip peanut butter to loosen some lips."

There were few people that could frustrate her like Mona Vanderwaal. Getting a straight answer from the petite brunette was a near impossible task. "Mona, spit it out. What did you find out?"

A small smirk tugged at the corners of her plump lips. "He wouldn't tell me much. But what he did tell me was very illuminating. Apparently Marion was not up there alone that night. She was with a girl. A blonde girl."

Toby sucked in a deep breath through his clinched teeth. "Are you saying that my mother was murdered, Mona?"

"Red Coat?" Spencer whispered as soon as Toby finished.

"Murder was certainly what Eddie implied, but his lips were sealed tight. My cookies could only loosen them up so much. And Spencer, that's where my mind went as well. It's too much of a coincidence. How many mysterious, dangerous blondes can be a part of our lives? Figure out who this blonde patient was and we'll be one step closer to stopping this bitch."

She sighed and reached over to lightly cover Toby's knee with her hand. She could see it shaking and knew that he needed comfort. What needed to happen was that she had to get Mona out of here so that Toby could express whatever emotion he was trying so hard to withhold. "You don't do anything without a reason. What do you need from us?"

"I got as much as I'm going to get out of Radley. But Toby, since you're family they might tell you more. I'm tired of being told what to do by this bitch. I'm ready to end this, and I am finally ready to admit it that I can't do it alone. And despite what ever you think about me, I do still love Hanna. This person might also have been the one that really killed Detective Wilden, or at the very least she may know who did." She stood up and fathered her things. "I will leave you to take all of this in and to look over the paperwork. The bottom sheet has the override codes for the back door at Radley in case you want to do some in person investigation."

Without waiting for a reply Mona turned around and walked out the exterior door. As soon as she was out of sight Spencer turned to Toby. The dejected look in his eyes caused her throat to constrict with emotion. Any talk of his mom always sent him into a short depression, but the knowledge that she may not have killed herself? This not going to have a positive affect on his mental stability. And really, who in the world could possibly blame him for that kind of reaction? "Toby, tell me what you're thinking?" Her hand moved from his knee to his hand, cupping over the top of it and intertwining their fingers together.

He shook his head and turned his eyes onto the ground. "I- I don't know. It's too much."

She hesitated, not knowing how to say what was on her mind without coming across as insensitive. "Can I tell you what I think?" She asked him softly, not wanting to give him any unsolicited advice.

After giving her a short nod he bent over to rest his head on top of hers. She leaned in and wrapped an arm around his middle trying to provide him with some degree of comfort. "I have a hard time believing that Mona is on our side for anything. There has to be something that she's getting out of this."

"But what if she's not?" He whispered into her neck.

Spencer shivered slightly and pulled him tighter to her. "Then maybe we should go check it out."

He pulled away and looked down at her in awe. "Y-you would go back there?"

"If I thought that it would help," she said softly, brushing her fingers through his sandy brown hair.

* * *

It was a cold, foggy night, eerily similar to the night of the lodge fire. The winds whipped around Toby's truck, but she felt safe and secure inside. As they pulled up behind Radley a deep sense of fear permeated through her body. Her eyes quickly snapped shut. She couldn't let Toby see her uncertainty. If she showed any sign of discomfort in front of him he would call this whole thing off, and that just wasn't acceptable for her. He needed answers, and he wasn't going to be the reason why he didn't get them.

"Are you sure you're up for this?"

She quickly opened her eyes and reassured him with a small smile. "Of course." Before he could search for a deeper meaning in her words she slid out of the car. The wind chilled her to the bone. Her arms wrapped around her thin frame as she approached the back door. She pulled the sheet with the codes out of her back pocket and quickly punched them into the number pad.

"Can I just take a second to let you know how hot you look when you're trying to be stealthy?"

She smirked down at him and moved over to make space for him on the small landing. "You look hot doing anything." The light on the number pad flashed green and the door swung open to the inside. Before she would allow either of them to continue she had to make sure that this was what he really wanted. She stopped him from entering the door with a hand on his chest. Her other hand found his and she looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. "We might find out some hard truths in here, Toby. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I have to," he replied simply, gently pushing past her and through the door.

She sighed and reluctantly and followed after him. The heavy door was difficult to pull shut behind her, and once it was completely closed they were enveloped into darkness. "Toby?" she whispered, taking a few shaky steps forward.

Before his name was even fully out of her mouth his hand wrapped lightly around her wrist. "Just let your eyes adjust," he murmured while sliding his hand down from her wrist to enclose her hand.

He was right, of course. After a moment she began to be able to discern vague outlines. Her vision slowly continued to adjust until she was able to see everything. She shot a short nod in his direction before beginning to walk in the appropriate direction. He may have been here before to visit his mom, but he had never lurked the hallways like she had when she was looking for Mona's path of escape.

"I'm so sick of working with the crazies. Not only do their vacant stares freak me out, but now they're forcing me to stay late."

Spencer turned to Toby with panicked eyes. They were going to get caught, and there was literally know acceptable way to explain their presence in the back of a mental institute much later than visiting hours. While she was busy over analyzing the situation Toby wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into the dark shadows. His lips pressed against her neck as though to block any unwanted noises from escaping his tensed throat.

"They really need to put some lights back here," the same voice complained. As she walked past their hiding place it was obvious that the woman was on her cell phone. And she didn't blame her. If she was forced to depart work through a dark and creepy exit at three in the morning then she definitely would have someone on the line just in case of an emergency. If her and Toby could get away with hiding in the shadows then someone with less than honorable intentions could do the same.

Once the dull thud of the exit door reverberated throughout the corridor she pulled away from Toby except for her hand. As much as she wanted to talk to him she didn't dare. They didn't know when someone else would come. She quickly led them up the first flight of stairs. The building was so poorly designed. To access the roof they had to walk across the entire second floor to reach the back staircase.

Emotionally, this was going to be the most difficult portion for her. They would have to walk right back her room, and she was going to have to keep her composure. Even now the vestiges of fear were tugging at her abdomen. But she would be able to do this for him. She never really understood people who put themselves first. She would much prefer to be the one suffering. If there was anything she could do to help those she loved then she would do it.

She could scarcely feel Toby's hand on her back, leading her down the hallway. All she saw was the slowly growing door to the room that housed some of the worst moments of her life. That was were she cried herself to sleep for weeks over the thought of Toby's cold, dead body in the woods. It was were she felt so low that she agreed to help Mona in her life-ruining campaign in order to protect her friends. It was were she felt like she was all on her own, that no one in the world loved her enough to be on her side; she felt like her friends only wanted her back for her investigative skills, and her family just wanted her to recover so that the mental hospital related embarrassment could go away.

"Spencer?"

His soft voice brought her out of her self-destructive train of thought. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and shot him a quick smile. "Let's keep going."

"Hold on. Spencer, are you okay?" His concerned voice caused her throat to constrict in emotion. He was always looking out for her, but this wasn't the time or the place.

But no, she wasn't going to let him see her upset. She wasn't going to ruin his quest for answers because of a moment of weakness. "Come on, we have to keep moving."

He reached out and grabbed her wrist again, this time more tightly than before. Now he wanted to halt her movement rather than just comfort her with his presence. "Spencer tell me what's wrong."

"Let it go for now, okay? I'm fine, so there's no reason to worry about me." She sincerely hoped that he let it go, because she didn't know how else to talk him down without causing a scene that might attract unwanted attention. Her eyes traveled to the a distant hallway where she thought she heard a scuffling noise, but seeing nothing she decided it must have been her imagination and returned her focus to Toby's hesitant frown.

A reluctant frown overtook his features, but after a moment of consideration he curtly nodded and released her wrist. Gratitude overwhelmed her as she turned away and made quick work of the stairs that separated them from their final destination.

As she pushed through the access door to the roof the cold from the wind nearly sent her back down into the depths of her own personal hell. At least it was warm. But she persisted for Toby's sake. She quickly pulled her hood up to cover her auburn curls and pulled her coat more tightly around her. She pulled the police report out of her pocket so that she could determine the exact location in which Mrs. Cavanaugh had supposedly jumped.

"I shouldn't have let you come here."

Apparently her calm facade wasn't working quite as well as she thought that it had. But she shouldn't have been surprised. He always saw right through her. "Hey, I'm fine. I promise. There was just a moment back there where it all got a little much."

Toby took a long step forward and lightly brushed the back of his hand down her face. "You have to promise me that you'll tell me if something's wrong. Please Spence, don't suffer in silence because you think that's what I need. That's the exact opposite of what I need. I don't need answers nearly us much as I need you to be alive and well, okay?"

His concern was adorable, and also unfounded. She would be fine as long as she had him. Her face leaned into his hand, and she briefly closed her eyes. "It was just the sight of my room. I promise I'm fine now. And I'll just avoid looking at it on the way back down. But right now I'm freezing so let's figure this out so we can go back inside."

Without waiting for an answer Spencer pulled out the report and began to scan the words, her eyes pausing on the name Dr. Palmer. "Did you ever meet your mom's psychiatrist?"

"Dr. Palmer? Yeah, once or twice. He was nice guy. I think that he's in some retirement home now out in Brookhaven." His words were confused, but he didn't deny her request for information.

A short nod was her only response as she scanned the roof line for the correct spot. The report said the southeast corner, but that couldn't be right. Her feet carried her toward the edge in a haze of confusion. The southeast corner of the building wasn't even accessible due to it being covered by a large air conditioning and ventilation system. Why would they lie on the police report? "Toby. I think Mona might have given us something real. There's no way that's where your mom jumped. And if they made that up what else were they lying about? This whole report loses credibility."

He leaned over her shoulder to read the report and looked up at the building ledge. "What do we do now?"

"I- I think that we should go see Dr. Palmer tomorrow. He might be able to tell us more. And if that doesn't work we can go see Eddie Lamb. Between the two of us we should be able to persuade him to give up something.

He didn't respond verbally. His hands moved to the back of her head and to the small of her back, pulling her against him. "I know this couldn't have been easy for you Spencer. Thank you."

She tilted her head to the side so that her ear was pressed against his chest. The steady thumping of his heart was more than enough to calm her frazzled nerves. "The only way to conquer an irrational fear is to face it. But I would honestly do anything for you, Toby. There's no need to thank me."

His lips pressed against the top of her head. "I love you so much. We'll figure out where to find Dr. Palmer in the morning. Let's go back to my loft and get some sleep."

"I don't think there's anything in the world that I'd like more. I love you too."

She loved him so much. Every minute she was with him it felt as though her heart was bursting with love for him, and every moment that she was away from him she felt incomplete. Toby Cavanaugh was her world, and there wasn't anything that she wouldn't do for him.

-A POV

As soon as she heard Dr. Palmer's name she knew that she was in trouble. They were getting close. Much too close for comfort. Perhaps turning on Mona had been a mistake. The bitch had certainly had an affinity for figuring out information that she wasn't supposed to know. And now she was passing it on to the absolute last people that should have that information.

For all of her faults, Spencer Hastings was one smart bitch. Spencer would figure out that she was the one on the roof with Marion, and nothing good would come from that. The truth would confuse her, but a few well placed questions to the appropriate people would alleviate that confusion. That was why she had to get Mrs. Marin out of the picture. She had the answers to questions that the bitches hadn't even thought about asking yet.

She gently shut the door behind her and silently stalked through the darkened halls of her home. She slid into her room and sat down on her bed; the thought of what she was going to have to do next heavy on her mind.

Her hand slid between her mattress and her box spring until she came across her contraband cell phone. She pressed the first contact in her speed dialed and waited for him to pick up. He had better pick up.

_"Hello?"_

"Spencer and Toby are getting too close. Much, much too close. They're going to find Dr. Palmer tomorrow. I need you to keep an eye on them."

_"I can do that."_

She smiled in satisfaction. Minions were her best investment throughout this entire endeavor. Doing the dirty work was overrated. "And if they get any closer I need you to take care of them. You know what to do."

_"You can count on me."_

She slid the phone shut and stashed it back underneath the mattress. Her lips stretched out into a satisfied smile. She kind of hoped Dr. Palmer gave them the information they wanted. Revenge was long overdue. And once she enacted this plan they were never going to want to cross her again.

**Next Chapter**

_"Dr. Palmer, can you tell me if this was the blonde girl?" Spencer held out her phone to show him a picture of the girls together just before Alison had disappeared. Hanna had said that they had seen Alison on the night of the lodge fire. It may very well have been their imaginations, but it seemed irresponsible not to ask._

_He slid his bifocals down over his nose and took the phone from her. "Yes! Yes this was the girl."_

_But to her supreme surprise he was not pointing at Alison. "No, that's impossible."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, FIRST DID YOU GUYS WATCH PLL? I loved it. I loved it so much! Let me know what you think? I also literally about had a heart attack during the promo for 4x20. IT LOOKS SO INTENSE. Let's be PLL friends. Send me a message if you want to talk about the show!**

**Secondly, I have seriously thrown in a TON of hints who one of my -As are in this chapter. Let me know if you can figure out who it is. I also threw in a little foreshadowing. Give me your guesses! I'd love to hear them, and if someone guesses correctly I will give them a shoutout in the next chapter! **

**And finally, I feel like I should warn you that my normal level of angsty dramatic intensity starts early in the next chapter. So hold onto your shorts and prepare yourselves! LOVE YOOOOU.**

**The next chapter will be up on Saturday, or when this gets 7 reviews! Up to you! **

Chapter 5

SPOV

Spencer's nimble fingers typed out various combinations of words as she tried to find out the maximum amount of information on Dr. Palmer before they reached his Brookhaven retirement home.

_Doctor Louis Palmer._

She scanned the Google results, but sighed in discouragement as nothing new came up. It looked like they were going to have to go into this blind, and that was basically her least favorite thing. "How much longer?" Her soft voice asked Toby. She needed to know how much time she had to complete her research.

"We're pulling up now. Were you able to find anything?"

"No. I'm an utter failure when it comes to researching former Radley psychiatrists. We're just going to have to wing it." Her sentence was punctuated by a dejected sigh. She had this compulsive need to be the best at everything, so failure was unpleasant. Even when it came to something as inconsequential as this.

He smiled and rubbed his hand over her thigh as he pulled the car into a parking space. "There is no one in the world that I'd rather blindly investigate with. At least they know we're coming, and Dr. Palmer has agreed to see us."

"Of course he did," she laughed. "I'm sure you were the perfect little gentleman every time you came to visit your mother. They probably all dreamed of having visitors as well mannered as you."

He snorted, "I'm so glad you have this nerdy mental picture of me. The last... time I visited I broke a vase and scared a nurse."

The way his voice broke as he spoke of the last time he saw his mom broke her heart. He deserved nothing but happiness. In the name of comfort she reached out for his hand, and he gratefully met her halfway. He hung onto her hand as though it were a lifeline as he led her through the front door of the retirement home.

"Are we looking for someone specific or-" Her words trailed off as she caught sight of a very unwelcome figure over Toby's shoulder.

Noel Kahn sauntered up behind them with his characteristic cocky smirk. "Hastings, Jenna's brother whose name I can't remember. How's it going?"

Toby's hand moved from hers to tightly take a hold of her upper arm. The tense frown on his face indicated to her that she better go ahead and respond to Noel. "It was going a lot better before your smug face showed up. What are you doing here, Noel?"

"Hastings, you should really watch your tone when you speak with me." The smile never left his face, but an underlying threat colored his otherwise friendly tone.

The hand that Toby had on her arm tightened marginally, and Spencer realized that she had better end this before it became a pissing contest between the boys. "We're here to visit with an old friend. What about you?"

His smirk grew at her friendly tone. He probably thought that he had convinced her to treat him better, but in reality she knew that she needed to get Noel to leave before Toby reached the end of today's very short fuse. "My gran is here. I spend an afternoon a month with her."

That was uncharacteristically kind of Noel Kahn, but she wouldn't question it. Maybe he did have a soft spot for the woman. But more likely she was the one that signed the checks that were deposited into his moderately sized trust fund. "Well, we'll see you later."

Noel nodded in agreement and walked off down the hallway. As soon as he was out of sight Toby's hand slackened on her arm and it returned to her hand. "Well that was awkward."

"Yeah, it would have been more awkward had you punched him. Because I think everyone in a ten mile radius could feel your poorly concealed desire to do so." Her tone was more annoyed than she meant, but that was alright. He needed to calm down, and maybe he would do so if he thought that she was frustrated with him.

Before Toby had a chance to respond to her annoyed statement a nurse slid out of the backroom and gave them a questioning stare. "Can I help you two?"

Spencer decided to speak. Toby was overly emotional and needed to calm down; he wasn't going to be able to do that if he had to keep explaining himself. "Hi! We're here to see Louis Palmer? We called ahead so he should be expecting us."

The nurse smiled distractedly and turned back to her paperwork. "He should be in the day room. Take a left and then it's the second door on the right."

"Thank you!" Spencer made her voice as cheerful as she could and dragged Toby off toward the correct direction. When they were far enough away she slowed down and looked up at him. "Hey, I can feel your tension from here. I know this is hard for you, but if you seem nervous you're just going to make everyone else nervous."

"I'm sorry. It's just..." He trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

She sighed. She hadn't wanted to make him feel bad, but she knew how badly he needed these answers. And she had also done her fair share of investigating. If he went in there looking as tense and nervous as he did right now no one was going to give them anything. "Hey, don't apologize. We'll go in there and charm the pants off of Dr. Palmer, and we will get you the answers you need. And if it helps us with the -A thing then all the better this will end up being."

"I love you," he murmured into her ear. "I wouldn't be able to do this without you."

"We'll figure this out." She saw the nearest nurse and quick;y walked up to her. "Hi, we're looking for Louis Palmer."

The woman looked a bit surprised but nodded. "He's right over there. He's not having a good day, but it should improve his spirit to have visitors."

"We've never been here before. He was my boyfriend's mom's psychiatrist, and we thought that we would come see him. Is there something that we should know before we talk to him?" The nurse's cautious tone was enough to cause her to hesitate. She hadn't thought that there might have been something wrong with him.

"He's just a little confused sometimes. Out of touch with reality. Just talk slowly and don't be surprised if he repeats himself a lot."

Spencer nodded and thanked the woman before leading Toby in the direction of Dr. Palmer. She slowly sat down on the couch across from him and scooted over to ensure that Toby had enough space to sit next to her. "Dr. Palmer?"

The old man looked up with a friendly smile. "Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Spencer Hastings. I spoke with your nurse and she said that you agreed to meet with me and my boyfriend? This is Toby Cavanaugh." She said the last part while gesturing to Toby next to her. She took a moment to study his expression and put her hand on his thigh for comfort. He looked like he was going to puke, and he needed to keep it together.

"Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh, why does that name sound familiar?" The man adjusted his glasses so that he could peer over them at Toby.

"You- you um were my mom's psychiatrist," Toby mumbled, still not completely comfortable.

"Ah, yes. Marion, correct? Yes, she was a wonderful woman."

Spencer jumped as her phone buzzed against her hip. She pulled it out and her heart sank when she saw that it was from an unknown number. -A hadn't been sending texts lately, but she should have expected that to change. _Stop looking or you'll regret it. -A._

She knew that Toby would want to see this, but she wasn't going to show him. Unless -A came out, guns blazing, they weren't going to stop them from getting answers. All that text did was prove to her that they were on the right track. They were going to find a way to end this, and a little potential, collateral damage was worth that.

"-have any friends?" The fact that Toby was speaking and asking questions was very encouraging.

"Why yes. There was this one girl. I remember her because she was a very young woman. Probably about your age."

Spencer's heart lept. This is why they were there. "Do you remember her name, sir?"

He scratched his head thoughtfully for a moment. "I don't believe that I do. But I can tell you that her hair was about as long as yours and very blonde."

Toby and Spencer exchanged a wary glance. She quickly scrolled through the pictures on her phone until she found the one that she was looking for.

"Dr. Palmer, can you tell me if this was the blonde girl?" Spencer held out her phone to show him a picture of the girls together just before Alison had disappeared. Hanna had said that they had seen Alison on the night of the lodge fire. It may very well have been their imaginations, but it seemed irresponsible not to ask.

He slid his bifocals down over his nose and took the phone from her. "Yes! Yes this was the girl."

To her supreme surprise he was not pointing at Alison. "No, that's impossible."

But she wasn't mistaken. He was pointing at Hanna's smiling, fourteen year old face. But that really wasn't possible.

"No, no my dear. I am quite sure. That's the young lady." His voice was confident, but his eyes were still squinting down at the screen in confusion. Like he wanted to be confident, but he wasn't completely positive. Toby peered over her shoulder and sucked in a shocked breath as he noted Dr. Palmer's finger aiming at Hanna.

"Spencer?"

She tensed and turned around to face their unwelcome addition with a confused frown. "Wren, what are you doing here?"

"I volunteer here two times a week. Your turn. What are you doing here?" He reached out to put his hand on her shoulder, but she quickly moved out of the way with a side glance toward Toby. If he had been tense before he was stone-cold still now. She didn't even think he was blinking. He had never been Wren's biggest fan.

"Dr. Palmer was a friend of Toby's family, and we heard that he was here so we came to visit."

Wren nodded but came around to grab his chair. "Well, it's time for his medication, so I'm going to have to take him back to his room now."

Spencer glanced at Toby before looking back at Wren with a short nod. "Thanks for meeting with us Dr. Palmer. Would it be alright if we came back to see you again?"

"Oh yes, please dear! You were ever so delightful, and I would love to discuss Marion further. I'm sure you could use the closure, son." Dr. Palmer reached out to pat Toby's knee as Wren wheeled him past.

Wren only got a step away before pausing to turn back to Spencer. "I know Melissa was planning on calling you tonight, but since I have you right here I might as well mention it. Would you come to brunch with us tomorrow? Melissa has some news that she wants to share."

Spencer nodded. "Yeah just have Melissa call me with the details. But I should be able to do that."

Wren nodded and wheeled Dr. Palmer away. As soon as he was out of sight she turned warily around and looked at Toby. "Are you alright?"

"I mean I'm not particularly thrilled that Dr. Pervert showed up and ruined everything just as we were getting somewhere," he sighed.

So his feelings on Wren definitely hadn't changed. Probably even more so now that he knew that they had kissed. Actually, hopefully Melissa didn't know about that kiss, because if she did her news was probably that she was going to kill her. When she had kissed Wren she hadn't know that him and Melissa were starting to see each other again, and if she had she never would have done it. Actually yeah she might have. She had temporarily lost her mind.

"Toby, we weren't getting anywhere. Hanna being there isn't possible." He had to see that. There was no way that he believed for a second that Hanna hurt his mom.

He stood up and held his hand out to help her up. "Let's go outside and discuss this. This isn't a conversation that we want overheard."

She nodded and they quickly exited the retirement home. The walk out to his truck was silent, which was doing nothing to ease her nerves. This wasn't going to be a fun conversation. He held her door open for her, which was comforting. At least he wasn't so upset that he was forgetting who he was in the process. Always the gentleman.

Once he was sitting in the car and settled she grabbed his hand and waited for him to look at her. "Hanna being in Radley when your mom was isn't possible Toby."

"Why not?" His voice wasn't exactly friendly, but it also wasn't angry either. He was tense, but she knew that if he was going to get angry it wouldn't be directed at her. He'd wait and direct it at the person who deserved it.

"Well, let's go ahead and entertain the idea that Hanna Marin was capable of murder. Your mom died two Memorial Days ago, right?"

He nodded, but didn't speak. She knew that he wanted to talk, but he had to know that she wouldn't stand for the undeserved slander of her best friend; not even from him. "She was with me that day. All five of us were at my family's lake house for the weekend. My parents, Melissa, and Mrs. Marin were there as well. And she was 15. There was no way for her to get back to Rosewood without anybody noticing."

"Then why did he point her out in the picture?" His voice had a bit more warmth, but he still didn't sound quite like himself.

She reached out to grasp his other hand, wanting him to feel how serious she was about all of this. "She's our age and blonde. You heard the nurse, he's a bit senile. He was probably just excited to have visitors and wanting to do whatever it took to please us."

"Spencer, I don't know," he murmured. He released her hand and gently cupped the back of her head, pulling it down to rest just below his chin. His other arm wrapped around her waist. When things got really rough for her she had always drawn comfort from his presence, and she hoped that she could provide that same comfort for him right now.

She tilted her head to the side so that her words weren't muffled by his shirt because she needed for him to hear her. "Toby, are you saying you don't believe that she was with me? Or maybe that I don't remember properly? Because I remember every single locker combination that I've ever had. I can play over fifty pieces on the piano by memory. I've never missed a word on a spelling test. At the risk of sounding cocky, I never forget things. She was there at the lake house. Unless she learned how to teleport there is no way that she was in Rosewood."

His arms tightened around her. Her body rose and fell along with his haggard breaths. "No Spence. No I always believe you. You're one of the only people in the world that I trust. It's just hard. I thought we were going to come here and get something real, but now all I'm feeling is devastated about my mom again and we've got nothing new."

A short pause was necessary before she spoke again, because he wasn't going to like what she was about to say. If she was going to inspire his anger it would be right now. "I think he did help us, Toby. It was a blonde girl around our age. If that isn't Red Coat then I need to reevaluate my beliefs on coincidences. And what he told us was that Red Coat was in Radley with your mom. That's something to go on. And, you aren't going to like this, but I think that we need to tell Aria, Hanna, and Emily."

He stiffened, but before he could object she continued to speak. "I know this is your mom Toby. I know, and I'm so sorry I have to ask this of you. But the person who hurt your mom might also be the person that's been hurting the four of us, and they deserve to know that. I'll keep your secret, but please don't make me. I don't want to have to choose between you and my friends."

That wouldn't be a fun decision. She couldn't betray Toby like that, but she also knew that she'd have to tell her friends something. This was becoming a more dangerous game, and they would be players whether or not they knew the stakes. They had to be given some kind of warning.

The trembling of his arms showed her just how emotional this situation had become. She had never seen him so sad and helpless. It wasn't as though his feelings weren't warranted. His mom was the only person in his life to ever show him any semblance of affection. And for much of his life he believed that even she hadn't loved him enough to stay. But now they had found information suggesting that she had been forcibly taken from him. That was enough to crack even the strongest wall.

He let out a deep shaky breath. "I don't think I can talk about it. But you can tell them. Have them meet us at the Brew in a half an hour."

It was a necessary victory, but that didn't make her feel any better about it. It was right for everyone in the long run though. The girls needed to know that things with -A were likely to escalate as they neared the truth, and Toby needed all minds on board as they figured out who the bitch was that hurt his mom. But regardless, she felt bad. Her hand grasped his fingers on her face and pulled away slightly. "Don't worry. We have a system. They'll beat us there probably. But seriously, do you need for me to drive?"

"No, I'm okay. Just call your friends." The way his soft lips lingered on her forehead and shocking white of his knuckles as his unyielding grip tightened around the steering wheel suggested otherwise, but she would allow him this white lie.

Her phone weighed heavy in the pocket that she had left it in after she had gotten the text from -A. For a brief moment she considered telling Toby about the text, but she decided against it. She would tell them all at once. She slipped her phone out to text Hanna, Aria, and Emily.

_"S.O.S. Brew in twenty."_

Toby had said a half an hour, but the way he was driving she would be surprised if it took them longer than fifteen minutes to get back. She glanced at him, wanting to talk to him, but having no idea what to say. There was no fixing this. No one could deny that she had been through a lot throughout the short course of her life, but he had been through so much more. "Hey, I love you." He knew that. Since they had reunited she had made sure to not let that much time go by without reminding him of her affection, but sometimes when you were upset that's something that you needed to hear.

After a brief pause Toby ran his hand down her bare shoulder. "I love you too. I wouldn't be able to do this without you, Spence."

The mood needed to be lightened. The level of tension in this car could be cut with a knife. "I mean I am pretty awesome," she teased him and lifted his hand to lightly press her lips to the back of his knuckles. "Everything will be fine."

As they pulled up to the Brew she turned her eyes back to him. "They're probably panicking. I didn't tell them any details because even if you can't be the one to tell them you deserve to know exactly what they know."

He nodded and took a couple shallow breaths. "Let's just get this over with."

Spencer nodded and got out of his truck. She paused on her side of the truck, and when he came up next to her she slowly intertwined their fingers together. She didn't know what to tell them, but she was sure it would come to her. It always did.

"Spencer! What the hell!?" "Hanna shut up and let her breath!" "Tell us what's going on!"

As soon as they walked into the Brew they were quickly surrounded by her anxious friends. They were speaking over each other, but their words would equally discernible. "Calm down and I'll explain everything. But be quiet. This is huge, and I don't want unneeded attention."

They immediately quieted down and led her back to their table. Hanna passed both her and Toby a coffee. "We ordered for you guys. Toby, I hope we got it right. Aria was guessing, but the girl has a gift for predicting coffee orders."

He smiled slightly as he took a sip. "This is actually perfect, thanks."

"Okay guys, what's going on. Spit it out. Toby, you look like you swallowed a lemon, and Spencer looks like worried and angry had a love child," Aria said quietly. Wow Aria, your Hanna is showing. That was totally something that the blonde would say.

Spencer glanced at Toby to make sure that he was okay before she began to speak. "Okay, so we went back up to Toby's loft after you told us about your mom, Han. And waiting for us up there was Mona."

"Mona? Are you kidding? She's still being shady? I knew that we shouldn't have believed her innocent little school girl act." Hanna had every reason to be more angry with Mona than the rest of them. The girl had pretended to be her best friend for nearly two years, but in reality she was just using her for most of that time.

Spencer shook her head slightly. "No, this time she gave us something real. She was snooping around and found evidence that Toby's mom may have been murdered. So we took the information that she gave us and went to Radley to check it out for ourselves. All of the evidence there suggests that Mona's right. At least that something sketchy is going on. Mona spoke with Mrs. Cavanaugh's nurse and he told her that she wasn't alone on the roof that night; that she was up there with a... a blonde girl."

Significant looks were exchanged all around. They had been at this long enough to recognize that there was no such thing as a coincidence in Rosewood.

"So then today we went to visit Dr. Palmer, her psychiatrist, and he confirmed the blonde girl theory. Only..."

Hanna sat up eagerly and leaned forward. "What? What did you find out? If you know who Red Coat is tell me and I'll go smack that bitch harder than I smacked Jenna that one time." She paused and turned to Toby, "Uh, sorry Toby."

"Oh no. You should have knocked her out with a crow bar for what she did to you," he chuckled softly. He seemed to be loosening up, but she wasn't sure how real it was. Her friends were good for bringing out the happy in people.

"Han, shut up and let me finish, okay?" She smiled at her so she knew that she wasn't actually angry. "I remembered what you guys said about seeing Alison at the lodge so I showed Dr. Palmer a picture of all of us. I wanted to see if the blonde girl was Alison. But, um... but he uh..."

Emily looked as though she were about to burst. "Spencer, just spit it out. What did he do?"

She bit her lip and glanced at Hanna. "He um... he pointed at you, Han."

Hanna had just taken a sip of her coffee. When she processed what Spencer had said she coughed and sputtered on the hot liquid. "Excuse me?" She wheezed out in between hacking coughs.

"He sounded very sure, but his face was confused," Spencer added when she saw Hanna's alarmed face.

Aria blinked a few times and turned to Toby. "When did your mom die, Toby?"

"Two Memorial Days ago. It made for a really great holiday." His voice was barely audible, but what she heard of it was enough for the worry to flare up again. She glanced over at him and tightly clasped their hands together. She glanced warily at him before turning back to her friends.

"Guys, the details don't matter. Of course we all know that it wasn't you, Han. We were at my lake house that weekend." Spencer spoke softly so that she still sounded empathetic to what Toby was going through, but also firmly so that Hanna knew that she didn't doubt her. "Well that and the fact that I couldn't even get you to kill a cricket that weekend."

"Hey now. I've seen Mulan and Pinocchio. He could have been my fairy cricket mother or a lucky cricket," Hanna protested, actually sounding like that was a justifiable reason.

A quick look at Toby showed her that she needed to wrap this discussion up. His poorly constructed wall was crumbling, and she could see his despair cracking through. "We need to go. But I just wanted to let you guys know what was going on. I think that needs to be our next goal. We need to figure out who this blonde girl was. There's every chance she's in charge of this, and then we can end it."

"Yeah Spence, you two get out of here." Emily's sympathetic eyes lingered upon Toby for a minute. "If we figure anything out we'll call you."

Before Spencer had a chance to thank Emily she was interrupted by a symphony of ring tones. Concurrent texts used to be a funny coincidence, but their dealings with -A turned them into a source of terror.

Aria opened the text and paled slightly as she read the text out loud. "I warned you to let it go. Now let it be war upon you all. The first casualty is coming soon. -A"

Toby's hand tensed around hers. "Maybe- maybe we should let this go."

She whipped her head around and studied him intensely. "Toby, we can't do that. We can't let her win. If we show her that she can control our lives than she will never stop. We have to end this while we have the opportunity to do so."

His hands released hers and moved to her face, cupping either side. It was as though he forgot they were very much in public. "Spencer I already told you. My mom is gone. If we figure out what happened to her that's great. But you're still here, and if figuring this out means losing you then it isn't worth it."

"Toby," she murmured, reaching up and taking both of his hands into hers. "Nothing will happen to me, I promise."

She heard her friends getting up and leaving, but right she was completely focused on Toby. A text to thank them would have to be composed later. They were so wonderful with all of this. The perfect combination of sympathetic and inquisitive without being insensitive. But did she really expect anything less of them? This wasn't the first crisis that they had dealt with.

Hesitantly, he pulled his hands out of hers and pulled her into his arms. His face burrowed into her neck as he took a minute to compose himself. "Promise me." She could barely hear him, but he had managed to get his desperate sentiment across.

"Promise you what?"

His lips pressed lightly against her neck before he spoke. "Promise me that you'll never leave me."

"Toby, I swear. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be so attached to your side that you'll get sick of me in no time," she worked to keep her tone light. She wasn't going anywhere, and at the time she really meant it. Too bad she couldn't see into the future to prevent inadvertently lying.

He chuckled softly, the feeling of his lips vibrating against her neck causing goosebumps to erupted down the entirity of her right side. "That's never going to happen. I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. She maneuvered her body so that she had access to his lips. They connected passionately, trying to express their adoration of each other through their actions. She loved him so much.

-A POV

He took a long sip of his English Toffee Latte as he watched the pair of them showing inappropriate levels of affection for such a public locale. They were rather unintelligent to have such an important conversation in such a public location. He was reminded of Sirius Black's advice to young Harry Potter. He suggested that they should have had their secret meeting in the louder pub, but perhaps they should be reminded that works of fiction weren't always based on what is really the best decision. Especially when you're being stalked by an unknown figure.

He took a last swig of his coffee before tossing it into the trashcan. Usually he much preferred a nice cup of tea, but today he needed the extra caffeine that the coffee provided. He had a lot to do to get ready for tomorrow. It was going to be a day that none of them every forgot.

His feet quickly carried him outside, and as soon as he was out of sight of the Brew he pulled out his phone to make a very important phone call. The boss needed to know what he discovered. She answered after just one ring.

_"What do you want?"_

She always snapped at him when he called her, but for some reason he found it rather endearing. "Hey love, I have some information for you."

_"Please tell me it's good news. It's been such a shitty day."_

He pursed his lips together as he contemplated the best verbiage for his reply. "Dr. Palmer pointed Hanna out in a photograph that Spencer showed him."

_"Shit. No he didn't. That idiot. Take care of it for me?"_

"It's already been started. Tomorrow they'll know never to defy you again."

He could practically hear her grin forming through the dead air. _"Excellent."_

**Next Chapter:**

_"I'm going to send your mommy a nice little text. Help me mom. Toby has lost his mind and I'm scared. I love you!" He laughed and took a menacing step toward her with her phone held loosely in his right hand._

_Her eyes widened in horror as she finally understood his plan. "No! Seriously, don't you dare. Do what you want to me. I don't care, but don't you dare bring Toby into this. Haven't you already put him through enough?"_

_"Oh darling, we're only getting started. Too bad you won't be here to see it."_


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! This chapter came much easier than anticipated, so it's early! I hope you love it! Let me know what you think! More at the end.**

Chapter 6

SPOV

Arriving back at Toby's loft brought about a new series of issues. One look at his face proved to her that had yet to come to terms with everything that they'd discovered. But she didn't know what to do. How could she make this better?

Toby stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room looking lost and confused. Whatever she did it would be better than allowing him to remain at this level of despair. She took both of his hands in hers and led him to the couch, pulling him gently into a sitting position. "I'm going to go make some tea. I'll be right back."

He nodded silently, never looking up to meet her eyes. Their conversation in the Brew had been mildly therapeutic for the both of them, but an adequate degree of comfort had yet to have been accomplished. She lightly pressed her hand to his cheek and just looked down at him for a moment before reluctantly tearing her eyes away from his devastated face. Oh Toby._  
_

Her childhood had not been the happiest. It was rarely that she was made to feel loved or cared for, but what her mom did do well was to ensure that whenever Spencer was upset that she had a cup of tea. Throughout the years she had begun to associate comfort and tranquility with tea. Maybe she could pass some of that along to Toby.

When the tea was finished she poured a large mug and brought it out to Toby, pressing it into his slack hand on the arm rest. She watched as his fingers slowly wrapped around the base of the container. Her eyes traveled up his body and came to rest on his face. The blank, dead look in his eyes was almost too much for her to take.

Instead of taking him into her arms as she so desperately wanted to do, she lightly perched on the couch next to him. She would let him make the first move, no matter how much it cost her. So many people in his life have stolen his right to choose. His mother took away his chance to say goodbye to the one person he had ever been sure loved him. Jenna took advantage of his gentle nature and she brutally and manipulatively took his virginity into her own hands. His father took away any chance he had at having a normal family life. Alison stole a year from him by forcing him to take the fall for their mistakes, something that she shamefully played a part in. This town took away so many chances of happiness from him.

But despite the trials and tribulations that he had faced throughout his life he was still himself. He was still the kind, gentle, wonderful person that he was at his very core. The world hadn't turned her boyfriend hard. He took every single obstacle in stride, and he overcame them like a champion. But this? She was worried that this situation finally had the capability to destroy him.

Just when her worry was at an all time high his hand lightly clasped onto hers. His grip started out as being very light, but after a moment he gripped her hand so tightly that it was as though he were afraid that she'd disappear. They sat together in silence that was only punctuated by the occasional sniffle from Toby. He was crying. _He was crying._

There was nothing worse than watching him cry. He was her life. He was everything to her, and if she could take away his pain she would do it in an instant and without a second thought. It was ridiculous. Her love for him literally consumed her. It didn't matter what was going on right now. The zombie apocolypse could begin. The loft could be destroyed by a tornado, or China could invade Pennsylvania. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered right now but him. "Toby, tell me what I can do. Please baby, just let me be there for you."

He let go of her hand and pulled her into his lap. His hand cradled her head against his collarbone, and his other hand wrapped around her waist and rested on her lower back. "Just don't leave me. Please don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere baby. I promise you I'll always be here," she murmured and leaned up to lightly pressed her lips the base of his neck. "I love you. I love you so much."

His arms were shaking as he gathered her in tighter and pressed his lips to the top her her head. She couldn't see his face, but maybe that was a good thing. Toby's tears were enough to cause her to dissolve into her own, and right now she needed to be the strong one. "Toby, you deserve nothing but the best. Anyone who can't see that is crazy. You are the best person that I've ever known."

"No I'm not," he whispered into her hair. "I ruin everything."

"Toby," she whispered sadly. He couldn't possibly believe that, could he? "Toby, that is just categorically false. I'm sure that goes for every single aspect of your life, but I'm going to speak specifically to our relationship. You literally saved me. Before I met you there was no one in the world who cared about me. No one was looking out for me. And then you came along, and you were my safe place to land. You kept me safe when it felt like the entire world was out to get me. Seriously, how many people would do what you did? You literally gave up your entire life to protect me."

At this point she was getting emotional. She sucked in a shallow breath and took a second to collect herself. "You don't ruin anything. I can't stand it if you think something so incredibly false about herself. You are a wonderful person. You're so gentle. Even when you've been angry with me, you've still treated me gently and with respect. I've never felt anything but safe with you. You're just- you're the best person I know. It's so fundamentally wrong for you to not realize that."

He shook his head and buried his face into the top of her head for a moment before lifting up slightly so that he could talk. "I- I've spent s-so much time angry at my mom. I thought she left me, but now we found out that it might have not been her choice at all. I'm the worst son in the world."

It was so tragic when someone so fundamentally good could not see just how wonderful they were, but if it was the last thing that she did she would help him to see that. "She loved you Toby. _She loved you. _From everything that we've read and from everything that you told me it was more than evident. She was sick. But she hung on for you. You were what kept her going for so long. You've done nothing wrong Toby. She _loved _you."

It was a long minute before he responded. His shaky voice closer to her ear than it had been previously. "Spencer, I love you so much."

She gently pulled away from him so that she could cup his face with both of her hands. "I love you too. So much." Her thumbs brushed inward to lightly wipe away remnants of tears. "Do you want to go to bed? I think you'll feel better after you sleep for awhile."

He nodded and allowed her to lead him into his bedroom. She didn't bother to ask him whether he wanted her to stay or not because she would rather chew off both of her arms than allow him to be alone. Once he was settled into bed she slowly followed after him tucking her body beneath the covers. Both of her hands buried themselves into his hair. She lightly and soothingly running her fingers through it. "I love you. I'll never leave you, I promise. Just sleep," she repeated softly under her breath until felt his body slacken beneath her hands.

The entire day had been the epitome of exhausting, and once Toby fell asleep it didn't take much longer for unconsciousness to pull her under as well.

* * *

The curse of a light sleeper was that the smallest noises would rouse her from a previously blissful slumber. That was exactly what happened as her phone began to ring from its spot on the night table. She quickly glanced over her shoulder at Toby, and to her relief she found that he was still asleep. Luckily he had been blessed with the sleep like a log gene. She reached out to grab her phone and sighed when she saw that it was Melissa. After everything that had happened yesterday the last thing she wanted was to leave Toby for even a minute. But Wren had made it sound so important.

With a quick eye roll she flipped the phone on. "Hold on a second, Melissa," she murmured and set the phone back down. The weight of Toby's arm was heavy around her waist, but she easily managed to slide her way out of it. With one last longing glance at the bed she slide out of the bedroom door and took a seat on the couch in the living room.

She lifted the phone to her ear, "Okay, sorry about that. What's up?"

_"Oh I was just wondering where you are. Mom and Dad are out of town until noon, so I'm sure you aren't at home. I'm already in town, but Wren is going to come pick you up in about twenty minutes."_

Spencer's eyes narrowed slightly. There was something off about her voice. The pitch was higher than usual, and she was rambling. Melissa was usually one to just get to the point and leave it at that. "I'm at Toby's loft. Are you okay, Melissa?"

_"I-I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night. Listen, Spence. I know we've had our differences, but you know that I love you, right?"_

"Of course I do. You aren't going to tell me that you're dying or something, are you?" Spencer wasn't even kidding. Melissa's tone was making her genuinely nervous.

She laughed a bit before responding, _"No, no. Nothing like that. You go get ready and I'll see you soon."_

"See you soon," Spencer repeated and ended the call. Something was up. Whatever Melissa was going to tell her wasn't going to be something that she wanted to hear.

Slowly, she walked back into the bedroom and lightly closed the door behind her. Her eyes dragged across the bed and were met with the sight of her sleeping boyfriend. She perched back of the edge of the bed and just looked at him for a moment. The last thing she wanted to do was to wake him up, but she knew that if she just left and he woke up while she was gone it would cause him to panic. Hopefully the serenity of sleep would help him to see things a little more clearly this morning, but if not she would spend the entire afternoon reminding him of who she was. How could he not see how utterly unprecedented he was?

She traced the sharp edges of his jawline with her fingers and bent over to press a soft kiss to his forehead. "Toby," she whispered and dragged her mouth over to his ear. Her lips lightly brushed against the soft skin just below his ear until she felt him stir.

"Mmm?" His cute morning babble was one of her favorite things. One day she was going to record it and make it his ringtone on her phone. It would be wonderful. But today wasn't that day.

"Hey sleepy head. I need to get going for brunch with Wren and Melissa. I'll come back here when I'm done, okay?" Her hand brushed back the hair that had flopped down front of his eyes and smiled. He was definitely the cutest in the morning.

His eyes flickered open and winced at the sudden rush of bright light. She couldn't keep the smile off of her face. He was seriously too adorable in the mornings. "Wait, Spence do you need me to come?" He murmured, burying his cheek into the pillow underneath of his head.

She snorted and ran her fingers up and down his arm from his shoulder to his elbow. The thought of him coming along was laughable. "So that you can punch Wren? No thank you. I'll be back in an hour or so, and I'm sure you'll still be in this same position."

"Mhm. Dr. Pervert deserves it. Love you," he yawned and rolled back over.

She chucked. Her hand lingered on his shoulder for a moment before she decided that she needed to get going and stood up. "I love you too."

If it were with anyone other than Melissa and Wren she would make certain efforts to look presentable, but in all honesty she just wanted to get this brunch over with so she could come back to Toby. From the way the windows were slightly fogged up she assumed that it was chilly outside, and she hadn't brought a jacket with her. Toby's hoodie from last night was slung over his desk chair, so she shrugged and grabbed it. It would probably be warmer anyway.

She considered putting on some makeup, but right as she was preparing to walk into the bathroom her hip vibrated with a text from Wren saying that he was outside. Great, well she sincerely hoped that Wren and her sister didn't mind the grungy thing for today. She quickly grabbed her purse from the back of the chair and strode outside to meet Wren.

He was pulled up right underneath the stairs to the loft, which was kind of him. It was pretty chilly. Grabbing Toby's sweatshirt was definitely the right call. She pulled open the door to his small car and slid in text to him. "Hey," she said softly. Normally she wasn't so stiff with people, but all things considered, she didn't want to give Wren the wrong idea. He was with Melissa now, but he was also with Melissa the first time he had kissed her. But honestly, if he didn't see that she was hopelessly in love with Toby then there was no hope for him at all. But she's wasn't going to send him any mixed signals. Toby was it for her.

"Spencer, how are you doing?" Somehow Wren's accent sounded even more pronounced then it typically did. Did he suddenly get more British?

She sighed and leaned her head against the window. "I'm fine." Her eyes glanced at Wren and she couldn't suppress a smile when she saw that he was wearing gloves. "Why are you wearing gloves? Are your hands cold or something?"

"Or something," he chucked and flicked on the turn signal as he pulled into the parking garage.

Her nose wrinkled in confusion as he bypassed several vacant spots in favor of the isolated roof. "Why are we parking up here? It's kind of freezing, Wren."

"The last time I parked on the lower levels some arse swiped the side of my car. Now I'm paranoid," he shrugged and flashed her his trademark smile.

In the past she had found it cute, but now it was just creepy. Wren was _old. _She didn't really understand his attachment to teenage girls, but she wouldn't fall victim to him again. He needed to stick to her sister and everything would be fine. "That makes sense." She smiled uncomfortably and climbed out of the car. She searched the roof for the door to the stairs and began to walk in that direction.

"Hold on, Spencer. Come check this out. I was here the other day, and you wouldn't believe the view you get from this side." He walked up next to her and grabbed her upper arm.

There was no way for her to get away from him without making it awkward, so she reluctantly followed after him. There was absolutely going to be nothing worth seeing in the ally between the parking garage and the neighboring building. But Wren had always been a bit strange, so whatever. When she glanced back up at him she was startled to see that he had pulled a black hood up over his head. "That makes you look really creepy."

"There are some things that people don't need to see."

Well that did nothing to ease the creepiness. He directed her to the wall, but instead of pointing something out to her he simply looked down at her. The look in his eyes was a cross between determination and annoyance. She pulled back a bit. "Wren, what's going on?"

"I'm honestly surprised you've yet to figure this out, Spencer." He tightened his grip on her arm as she tried to back away from him.

Spencer glanced down at his hand on her arm, the black leather gloves cloaking his hands, and the black hood concealing his identity. Realization smacked her in the face as she connected the dots. "No," she breathed. "No, you've got to be kidding me. You're not."

"Oh I assure you that I am. I'm actually a rather high ranking member of what you and your friends so fondly refer to as the -A team." His hand tightened on her arm and he took a small step closer to her. "Have I blown your mind yet?"

His fingers were digging into her skin, but she barely felt anything. Her body was numb and her skin had grown cold. _Wren was -A. _How? Why? It didn't make any sense. He didn't even know Alison. He was still in Philly until after she had died. "Wren," she said softly. It was as though he was a scared animal and she was trying not to frighten him. "Wren I think you need to let go of my arm."

The smirk on his face grew even wider at her words. "I can't do that Spencer. You see, my boss thinks that you and Toby are getting too close to their identity. Since Mona, the bloody idiot, gave you the information about the carpenter's mother there is no way you're going to stop looking, is there?"

Answering that question seemed counterproductive. While she figured out a way to escape this situation she had to keep him talking. "Why are you trying to hurt us?"

"Well, Toby was just an unfortunate side effect. And you? You humiliated me and you broke my heart. Why would I not do this to you?" His hand tightened even further and he pushed he into the short ledge. "I see from your lack of answer that what I surmised is correct. You aren't going to give this up. That's why we're going to make you."

"What are you talking about?" She had seen Wren under duress. She had seen him happy, seductive, drunk, and any other number of ways. But this? This was something different. There was an underlying tone of rage to his every action, and it was frightening her to her very core. What was he going to do?

He sighed as though he were disappointed in her. "Spencer, your deductive reasoning is not nearly up to par. The A-Team requires two things at the moment. First, we need you and Toby to stop investigating this Marion Cavanaugh nonsense. And secondly, we need all of you to stop digging. We require our autonomy. The boss has decided that there is one common denominator between the two items."

She yanked hard on her arm trying to escape his ironclad grasp. You wouldn't look at Wren and think he was all that strong, but she now knew that looks could be deceiving. She wasn't going anywhere. "And what's that?"

Her blood chilled at his ice cold glare. "You. If you're gone then Toby will be too devastated to continue his investigation on his mother, and your friends will lack the brainpower necessary to solve the mystery that Alison created. You have to go. But first I need you to give me your cellphone."

"Why?" She needed to get out of this. If he thought she was going to just sit here and let him do whatever he planned on doing to her without fighting he was crazy. Just keep him talking. That's all you need to do. Keep him talking. "Was Melissa in on this?"

"What do you think Spencer?" He laughed. "And as for your phone, it's all part of the plan, love."

Well, if that's what he needed then she was certainly not going to make it easy for him to get. She slipped her free hand into her pocket and threw the phone as hard as she could over his shoulder, hoping that it would break.

"You stupid bitch," he snapped and turned in the direction of the phone.

She didn't care what he called her, because her actions had done just what she had hoped they would do. His hand on her arm slackened enough for her to rip her body out of his grip. She stumbled slightly, and ran as fast as she could in the direction of the door. She just had to get downstairs. All she had to do was find someone that would help her. "Help me! Someone help me," she yelled as she approached the door. It was doubtful that anyone would come, but perhaps she could garnish enough concern for someone to call the police.

Before she could reach it she was tackled to the ground. For a moment she lost any sense of who she was or why she was on the ground. She tried to suck in air into her lungs, and for just a moment she felt as though she was dying.

"Bad call, Spencer. Now I have your phone and you've made me angry. We better get this over with before someone comes to check out why you were screaming." Wren wrapped both of his arms tightly around her waist and dragged her struggling body back to the edge of the parking garage. "What are you going to do with my phone, Wren?"

Wren released her with a shove toward the edge of the building. "I'm going to send your mommy a nice little text. Help me mom. Toby has lost his mind and I'm scared. I love you!" He laughed and took a menacing step toward her with her phone held loosely in his right hand.

Her eyes widened in horror as she finally understood his plan. Her struggles froze as she stared at Wren in absolute horror. He was going to hurt her, and then he was going to frame Toby for it. God, no. No he couldn't do that. Toby was just fragile enough right now that he probably would blame himself, of course that was what they wanted. "No! Seriously, don't you dare. Do what you want to me. I don't care, but don't you dare bring Toby into this. Haven't you already put him through enough?"

"Oh darling, we're only getting started. Too bad you won't be here to see it."

Wren tightly grabbed a hold of both of her shoulders and before he even realized what he was doing he shoved her off of the edge of the building. As she fell the two stories to the asphalt ally below three thoughts were one her mind. First, if she got out of this she was definitely going to have her parents sue this parking garage. It couldn't be up to code for the edge of the roof to be that low. Secondly, she was frustrated for not seeing this coming. She had expected him to pull out a gun or a knife. And third, _Toby. Oh Toby. _She could only pray that she would be okay, because he was going to blame himself for this, and she wouldn't be there to talk him down from his massive guilt.

Consciousness did not immediately escape her as her small frame slammed into the asphalt below. For a moment she thought that she would be able to get up and walk away, but as she stirred intense pain radiated down the entirety of her body and the world blacked out around her.

Wren's POV

He watched as Spencer fell to the ground. When she fidgeted he was worried that she was still conscious. He had no idea what he would have done in that case, because this was not going to work if she was able to walk away. He took her phone, shot Mrs. Hastings the text about Toby, and he threw the phone onto the ground until it was broken.

A small stirring of guilt disrupted his stomach. He had once cared for Spencer, but she had dissed him for the last time. Final payback was a bitch. The only stop he planned on making before heading back to Melissa was at the payphone across the street. Vengeance wouldn't be very great if it took them all day to find Spencer. Although, watching the carpenter's face if he found the body would have been enough amusement for the rest of his life. That little bastard had no idea what he was in for.

He slid his own phone out of the cup holder and shot his boss a quick text. _It's done._

This was going to be fun.

**Next Chapter:**

_"Please. **Please. **I just need to know that she's okay. I will cooperate with everything you want. **Just tell me how she is."**_

_The detective looked at Toby with a mixture of suspicion and pity. "I haven't gotten an update in awhile, but from what I understand she's not doing well."_

_Toby swore that his heart skipped a beat as he shot up from his chair and bent over the trashcan, losing the scarce contents of his churning stomach. No. No, damn it, no. She said she wouldn't leave him. **She promised. **"Can I see her? Please, can I just see her? I need to see her."_

_Piercing brown eyes bore into his own as the detective considered his request._

**Good job to Jdurst99 and .Dusk for correctly identifying Wren! Keep me posted on your theories! Next chapter will happen early next week or with 7 reviews. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay guys. I really love the reviews I've gotten, but they aren't very plentiful as of the last two chapters. What's going on? The next chapter will be up when I get 5 reviews. So when the story is at 38. Love you! Sidenote, next chapter is from Hanna's POV. I know some of you were waiting for that!**

**This chapter is for tobyequalshottness, who has become a super reviewer! Your reviews always make me smile! **

**This is a little bit sad. So go ahead and grab your chocolate and your tissues before continuing. And if you don't, well don't say that I didn't warn you LOL! You know me and my angst at this point!**

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!**

TPOV

_Beep, beep, beep, beep._

He loved Spencer, he really did. He loved her a lot. But he was also contemplating throwing her damn alarm clock out the window. This was the fourth time that it had gone off in the past half hour, and all he wanted to do was sleep. But his sleep muddled brain was unable to figure out how to turn the stupid thing off. His weary eyes blinked open and took in the time on the nightstand. It was 1:30. She said she'd only be gone an hour or two, but it had been four. Where was she? The sharp sting of worry jabbed at his stomach until he knew that he would no longer be able to lay in bed.

As much as he wanted to stay in bed for the rest of his life his worry for his girlfriend was stronger. He sat up and stretched, trying to work out all the kinks that had formed in his back throughout his twelve hour marathon sleep session. A sleep session he was now regretting. There was no way that Spencer would stay gone for four hours without letting him know what was going on. Especially not after everything that had gone down yesterday.

Just as he was about to reach for his phone to call her a loud clatter sounded from his living room. Maybe she was here and he slept through her return. He slowly pulled his aching body up off of his bed and walked into the kitchen. "Spence?"

He was shocked when Hanna Marin's blonde head popped up from under the counter. "Oh, um no. Just me."

Toby didn't know whether to laugh or ask her what she was doing. "I- um how did you get in here? Have you seen Spencer?"

"She's not playing cuddly teddy bear with you? Caleb's in your bathroom, and we were going to make you lunch as a clever rouse to check on you guys. We broke in through the Brew. You might want to look at getting better security, because the manager let us up when we said that we were your friends."

"I'm sure it would have worked, but I can't find Spencer, and I'm starting to get worried." He sighed and ran a hand through his sandy locks. They'd been investigating. What if -A did something to her? He would never be able to forgive himself, not in a million years.

"When's the last time you saw her?" Toby jumped slightly as Caleb's voice rang out from behind him. He didn't know why it scared him since Hanna had just told him that Caleb was there.

He walked slowly over to the couch and sat on one of the arm rests. "She woke me up around 10:30 and told me she was going to brunch with Wren and Melissa, and she said that she'd come back here when she was done."

His dread increased marginally as he saw Hanna and Caleb exchange worried looks. Hanna walked over and sat on the chair so that she could give him her full attention. "Were they planning on going to the Grille?"

That wasn't the question that he had been expecting. "Yeah, I assume so. Where else is there to go for brunch in Rosewood?"

There they go with the look exchange again. Someone needed to clue him in to what was going on. "Toby, we were at the Grille for a really long time this afternoon. Someone," her eyes diverted to Caleb, "decided that they wanted to drink their weight in complementary coffee. We were there from 10 until probably 12:30 and Spencer definitely wasn't there. Neither were Wren or Melissa."

He covered his eyes with his hand and groaned. "Then where the hell is she?"

"I don-"

Hanna's words were cut off by a firm knock on the front door. What the hell was going on today? Spencer's missing and now someone is knocking on his door. No one ever came to visit him unannounced. "Hold that thought," he said as he pulled himself up off of the couch and to the door.

When he pulled it open he was unprepared for the sight of two men that he didn't recognize. One was obviously a police officer, and he assumed that the other one was a detective in plain clothes. "Um, what can I do for you?"

"Detective Holbrook?" Hanna asked from behind his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

The detective nodded at Hanna and turned back to Toby, "Mr. Cavanaugh, I presume? Can we come in?"

He nodded and moved aside gesturing for them to take a seat on the couch.

Hanna wasn't one to give up that easily. "Detective, what are you doing here? Seriously. You aren't going to get any information about Alison here."

Toby's eyes traveled to Hanna's face in confusion and then back to Caleb, but Caleb didn't look confused. Hanna must have told him about wherever she met this man. "Hanna, what are you talking about?"

She reluctantly looked away from the detective and back to Toby. "Spencer was busy with you, but Aria, Em, and I went to Detective Wilden's funeral. This one spent the last ten minutes of it questioning us about Alison. Apparently Rosewood cops suck, so they had to bring him in for backup." She half smiled at the other cop, "No offense."

Wait, so did this man showing up at his loft mean that they thought he had something to do with Alison again? That was just perfect. It was exactly what he needed on top of everything else. "Listen," he glanced at the detective and tried to push back his annoyance. "I have no problem talking to you about Alison, but I would prefer if it wasn't right now. I can't seem to find my girlfriend, and I would like to clear that up first."

The detective sighed and sat up a bit straighter on the couch. "That's actually why we're here. When's the last time that you spoke with Miss Hastings?"

Two police officers at his loft. And they're asking him about Spencer? _Spencer? _This was not good. "Why? Why are you asking me this? Is she okay?"

"Son, just answer the question," they could obviously see his agitation, but Toby couldn't bring himself to care. He wasn't going to be able to fully calm himself down until he found Spencer.

Toby opened his mouth to protest, but Caleb clasped a hand on his shoulder. "Toby, man. Just answer their questions. I'm sure that Spencer's fine."

Something about Caleb's voice was really soothing. It didn't make a lot of sense, because if there was anyone in his circle of friends that could go from friendly to ass kicking angry in two seconds it was Caleb. Toby took in a slow, calming breath before answering the detective's pointless questions. "She stayed the night here last night. I- I was upset, and she was trying to comfort me. She woke me up around 10:30 to tell me that she was going to lunch with her sister and her sister's boyfriend, and that she'd be back in an hour or so. It's been four hours and she's still not here. I'm about to move into full blown panic mode, so if you know where she is will you please just tell me?"

The police officer nodded at Detective Holbrook before standing up and walking out the front door. Detective Holbrook looked at Toby for a moment before answering. "Spencer Hastings was found unconscious at the base of the parking garage in town. It was more than obvious that she was thrown or pushed off due to the defensive marks on her arms. We received an anonymous call from the payphone across the street by a witness who told us where to find her."

Everything stopped. It was like the entire world just stopped spinning. His eyes couldn't focus on anything and dropped his head into his hands. No. _No. _Why hadn't he gone with her? He knew that he could have convinced her to let him come, but he didn't fight her because he wanted to sleep. _Because he wanted to sleep. _This was all his fault.

"Toby, snap out of it."

He didn't know how long they had been trying to get his attention, but it was long enough that Hanna's sympathetic voice had turned annoyed. He looked up at her, but she had already diverted her eyes back to Holbrook. "Well, you obviously didn't come here to tell us that Spencer's hurt. Tell us why you're here."

Not for the first time he was glad that he and Hanna were friends. The girl was usually sweet and kind, but right now he was kind of scared that she was going to attack Holbrook. He was hurting right now, but he supposed that she was too. Her mom was in jail and her best friend was injured to some unknown degree.

"I'm here because substantial evidence at the crime scene pointed to Mr. Cavanaugh having been the one to injure Miss Hastings. You're not under arrest because it was all circumstantial, but I need to question you."

"I... W-What?" That string of words together was incomprehensible. They think that he hurt Spencer? How could they possibly think that? He would do anything in the world to avoid causing her any iota of pain. Sure he had done a bad job of that lately, but this? He didn't understand. He would never hurt her. _Never. _The fact that anyone was questioning that was confusing and hurtful.

Apparently he wasn't the only one. Hanna launched herself up from her spot on the floor and began to pace back and forth as she told Holbrook what she thought. "Are you kidding me? Are you _kidding _me? You're the best that Rosewood could find? Toby would _never _hurt Spencer." She glanced down at him, her eyes softening slightly before turning her angry gaze back to Holbrook. "Look at him! Does he look like someone who just went out and tried to kill his girlfriend?! Why don't you ask Spencer? She would obviously clear this up for you."

"We would do that, but unfortunately Miss Hastings has yet to regain consciousness."

So not only was she injured, but she was injured to the point that she had been unconscious for an extended period of time? He felt sick to his stomach, and when he found out who did this to her he was going to kill them.

Caleb stood up and grabbed Hanna's upper arm, pulling her down into a sitting position. "Calm down, tiger. We don't need you getting arrested for assaulting a cop." He didn't take his hand off of Hanna's arm, but he turned to Holbrook with a dangerous glare. "Care to share said evidence with us?"

Holbrook kept his gaze on Caleb for a moment before turning to Toby. "Would you rather do this with your friends here, or do you want to come down to the station?"

"What I want is for you to tell me how Spencer is." His voice sounded dead and emotionless, his eyes not looking up from the ground. He was going to cry. He knew he was going to cry, but maybe he could hold it in if he didn't look at anyone. Maybe Spencer was fine. She was so strong.

Holbrook sighed, "I don't think that's a good idea."

With his word choice Toby felt something inside of him snap. His emotionless facade had crumbled and he was left with nothing but desperation and panic. How could this man not see how much he loved Spencer? How could he accuse him of hurting her? "Please. _Please._I just need to know that she's okay. I will cooperate with everything you want. _Just tell me how she is.**"**_

The detective looked at Toby with a mixture of suspicion and pity. "I haven't gotten an update in awhile, but from what I understand she's not doing well. It was a long fall and she landed on the asphalt."

Toby swore that his heart skipped a beat as he shot up from his chair and bent over the trashcan, losing the scarce contents of his churning stomach. No. No, damn it, no. She said she wouldn't leave him. _She promised**. **_"Can I see her? Please, can I just see her? I need to see her."

Piercing brown eyes bore into his own as the detective considered his request. "If you sit down and talk to me I will see what I can do when we're done."

Toby stood in front of the couch, clawing at his hair. The small tugs of pain didn't hurt nearly as bad as the pain in his heart. Oh Spencer. Please be okay. He sighed and looked at Caleb. Their eyes met for a moment. "Caleb, can-"

"You don't have to ask me twice, man. I'll make sure she's okay."

Toby looked away as he said goodbye to Hanna. If he saw anything other than a cordial handshake he wasn't going to be able to keep himself together. Spencer. Oh Spencer. He sat back down on the couch just as Caleb was walking out the door. Hanna moved from the ground to sit next to him. He appreciated her show of support, but he didn't necessarily want to break down in front of her. "Okay, ask me what you need to."

"Let's go over the evidence first. As I said, much of it is circumstantial. You may be able to give us an adequate explanation for it."

He nodded reluctantly. He wasn't there, so there had to be a reasonable explanation for everything.

"We will start with the least damning. The victim-"

Toby squeezed his eyes shut and cut him off. "Spencer. Her name is Spencer." He wasn't going to let this man lessen the significance of his girlfriend by calling her something as generic as the victim.

Holbrook looked a bit shocked, but he recovered well. "Spencer then. We have your fingerprints on record from when you were arrested last year, and your fingerprints were found all over her jewelry. She was wearing a flat, silver cuff bracelet, and there was scarcely a part that wasn't covered by your fingerprints."

He remembered the bracelet well because he had gotten it for her on her birthday. She never took it off. "We're dating. We touched." If that was how this entire interview was going to go this was just going to be a stupid waste of time. He needed to see Spencer.

Hanna nodded emphatically from next to him. "They were always doing cute little public displays of affection. It was sickening, but absolutely true. Another reason why this whole thing is stupid, and you should be looking for the person who actually did this and not wasting everyone's time."

A rush of gratitude for the blonde next to him shot through his entire body. He was definitely not used to being defended so vehemently, but it wasn't a bad feeling. At least someone knew that these accusations were ludicrous.

The detective nodded and jotted a quick note on his iPad. "Okay, she was found wearing a large sweatshirt. It was definitely much too big for her. I suspect that it was yours because your phone was also found at the scene."

Hanna didn't even give him a chance to respond to that. "Are you kidding? The fact that something of his was keeping her warm is now an indication of guilt? Spencer weighs about seven pounds. She's always cold. He's her boyfriend, so he'd obviously give her his sweatshirt rather than watch her shiver. This is getting ridiculous."

He couldn't stop the small smile from appearing on his face. "Thanks, Hanna," he looked back at Holbrook. "If it was blue she must have taken it from my chair before leaving. My cellphone was in the pocket. I don't think she was originally planning on staying last night so it may have slipped her mind to grab a jacket."

Holbrook nodded thoughtfully. "Okay well, the last thing is the most damning. We got a frantic phone call from Veronica Hastings two hours ago telling us to come question you. Apparently she got a text from Spencer claiming that you were attacking her and she needed help."

"I- I don't know how to explain that one other than to tell you again that it wasn't me. Spencer is- She's everything to me. I love her more than anything or anyone in the world. I would _never _hurt her." His stomach hurt. How could he have let this happen?

"I believe that you love her. The look on your face says it all. But it doesn't change the fact that Spencer specifically told her mom that you were frightening her. Maybe you pushed her on accident."

He had to take a minute to push down his anger at that statement. How dare he insinuate anything. He had been angry with Spencer plenty of times over the course of their relationship. The girl certainly had an affinity for half truths. They were exclusively to protect her friends and family, but that didn't make protecting her or reading between the lines any less frustrating. When he found out that -A was back he had never been more angry with her. But through all of that he never thought about hurting her. He would rather cut off his own leg than lay a hand on her. The thought of pushing her off of a building was incomprehensible. His love for her never diminished. "No. No, I've never laid a hand on her, and I never plan to. I don't think you quite understand how much I love her."

"Besides," Hanna chimed in from his right, "anyone could have sent that text. The person who hurt her could have sent it to make Toby look guilty."

Toby had had enough. He was literally not going to be able to focus on anything else until he saw Spencer. His stood up desperately and grabbed his coat from the closet. "I'm going to the hospital. I need to see her. I have to see her."

Holbrook stood up and gestured to the door. "Mrs. Hastings was very reluctant to allow you to be near her daughter, but my partner arranged for you to have 10 minutes as long as one of the two of us are in the room with you."

The fact that Mrs. Hastings didn't believe his innocence was downright insulting. She _had _seen them together. She had seen the proof of his love for her daughter. He could almost understand Detective Holbrook's uncertainty. The evidence certainly indicated that he may have been present, but the man had never seen him before. He had never seen him interact with Spencer. But Mrs. Hastings had. She was there to watch as they fell in love, and she should know better than this. "Fine," he said softly and walked out the door. He slid into his truck and waited for Hanna to get in with him.

As soon as Hanna climbed into the passenger's side of the truck he pulled off and noted the police car following directly behind him. He didn't usually mind what the town thought of him, but this was just another excuse for people to cross the street when they saw him. He could try to just brush that off, but no matter what he told people it still hurt. He wasn't a monster. "Toby, do you need for me to drive? I mean usually I get behind the wheel of something smaller, but I think I can rock your truck."

His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he pulled out onto the highway in the direction of the hospital. He knew that he should probably let Hanna drive, but putting how long it would take them to get to the hospital in anyone else's hands seemed like an unendurable sacrifice. He didn't bother responding to Hanna, his mind to focused on the state that he was going to find his girlfriend in. His foot pressed harder down on the gas peddle.

"Toby, calm down, okay? Spencer is tough and she's stubborn as hell. No way she's going to go out this way. She'll wake up soon and then she's going to lose her shit on everyone who suspected you. Her mom and Detective Stupid are going to feel like idiots then."

He pulled up to the curb and turned the car off. Hanna was right. He didn't necessarily welcome Spencer's wrath, but it would be gratifying for her to confirm what he's been saying all along. That didn't make this any easier. She was his whole world, and the thought of her laying broken in a hospital bed made him feel nauseous. She had to wake up. She just had to.

He thought that things couldn't get any worse when the town thought he killed Alison DiLaurentis, but he was so wrong. This was worse. This was so much worse. Alison was not a nice person. He didn't wish her harm, but he certainly didn't miss her. But being accused of hurting the one person in the world that he would willingly risk his life for was devastating. Shouldn't people be able to see their love? "I'll try," he whispered as he climbed out of the truck.

After stopping only to ask a nurse where to go he walked quickly through the hospital. He could hear Hanna and Detective Holbrook following close behind him, but he only had enough room in his mind to focus on Spencer. When he reached her room he paused outside the door. He didn't know if he was going to be able to handle this.

He took a deep breath and walked inside. Caleb was sitting on a chair across the room, but he only had eyes for Spencer. His feet carried him across the room and to her bed. His hand lightly grasped a hold of hers while he was still looking at the ground. The cold, clammy chill of her small hand was not a promising sign of things to come. He slowly dragged his eyes up her body, becoming more and more discouraged with every inch. The bruises and scratches on her arms gave him mixed emotions. He was so angry that someone would dare to touch her so roughly, but he was incredibly proud of her for putting up a fight. God, he loved her so much.

When he got to her face any mixed emotions that he had previously felt were gone. All that he felt now was white, hot rage. He moved his other hand to her forehead and brushed his fingers along the edges of the dark red bruise that encompassed half of her forehead. When he found out who did this to her he was literally going to kill them. Who could hurt her like that? Who could even consider putting their hands on her? She had a larger than life personality, sure. But she was so small, soft, and delicate. She deserved to be treated like something precious, not tossed around like a punching bag.

Was this his fault? -A had been a part of her life for a long time now, and they had never hurt her like this. It was mostly threats and humiliation. But now, as soon as they start investigating his mom, she's put in the hospital with some grievous injury. This _was _his fault. Figuring out what happened to his mom wasn't worth it. Not with Spencer's life on the line. It didn't matter if he figured out what happened to his mom if he didn't have Spencer. He was done.

He reluctantly took his eyes off of Spencer and turned to Caleb. He had been there for a little bit, so hopefully he had some information. "Will she be okay?"

Caleb gave him a sympathetic frown. "I- Her mom told me that she hit her head pretty hard when she fell. She's um- they don't know when she's going to wake up or if there's going to be anything wrong with her, like brain damage or whatever."

This wasn't okay. This just wasn't okay. He slid down and perched on the edge of her bed. Why? Why was this happening to her? Why couldn't it have been him? He kept tightly a hold of her hand and bent over to lightly press a kiss to the unbruised portion of her forehead. "Spencer, please," he murmured, only loud enough for her to hear. "Spencer, I love you so much. I love you. Please wake up."

His words were shaky and broken as tears pooled up in his eyes and traveled down his face. He quickly wiped them away, but they were falling too quickly for him to control them completely. He watched as a large drop splashed onto Spencer's face. "I'm sorry," he whispered. The tear just sat on her cheek, so he tenderly brushed it away with his thumb. His heightened emotions made it more difficult for him to speak quietly. "Oh Spencer. Please just keep fighting. Don't give up. Please don't give up. I can't live without you Spencer. Please."

"Okay Mr. Cavanaugh, it's time for you to get going. Mrs. Hastings should be back soon, and you need to be gone before she gets back." Detective Holbrook's voice was significantly more sympathetic than it had been. Maybe he was finally seeing what was true. Spencer was his world.

He nodded, but didn't take his eyes off of Spencer. He leaned over to press a final kiss to her forehead. "Take all the time you need Spencer, but please. Please come back to me. They aren't going to let me stay with you, but I won't leave this hospital until you're awake, okay? I promise I'll be here for you. I'll make sure that no one else hurts you." His hand lifted hers to his lips and he brushed his lips against her bruised knuckles. "I love you."

He squeezed his eyes shut. Pulling himself away from Spencer was the hardest thing that he had ever done, but he managed to do it after putting forth supreme effort. Hanna was standing at the back of the room, her eyes trained on Toby. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Don't worry about me," he mumbled. "I'm going to go to the waiting room. Will you come update me if anything changes?"

The worry on her face was obvious. But that was wrong. She should be worrying about Spencer, not him. Hanna bit her lip slightly as she considered how to say whatever was on her mind. "Do you want one of us to come with you and keep you company?"

"No, stay here with Spencer. Just find me if anything happens." He didn't wait for Hanna to respond again. He was going to break down completely, and he wanted to be alone for that. He pushed open the heavy door and walked quickly through the hallways until he found the waiting room for the ICU.

He slid into a chair in a dark corner and buried his face in his hands. He knew that he didn't do what he was accused of doing, but who had? Was it Wren and Melissa? Some other anonymous figure? Either way, it didn't matter. He may not have physically pushed Spencer off the roof, but his actions lead to it. How could he have ever thought his was a good idea?

The tears came hard and fast, embarrassing sobs ripping through his constricted throat. They may not let him see her, but he was going no where. He wouldn't move from this chair until he heard from Spencer. It was a two-fold purpose really. There was no way to get back to her room except through the hallway that he was facing. He could watch for any red coat or black hoodie clad figures. They had to have been upset that their minion wasn't able to finish the job, because they can't have expected Spencer to escape that alive. She was hurt now, but he had to be grateful that it wasn't worse.

Also, he knew that once Spencer woke up she would exonerate him. He might not be the first to see her, but he wouldn't be far behind. Hanna would come get him, and until then he would wait.

**Next Chapter:**

_"Mrs. Hastings, are you crazy? Toby couldn't have done this!" Hanna groaned in frustration and plopped down on the chair next to Spencer's bed. This woman couldn't be made to see reason. "Why aren't you questing Wren? He's the one that she was actually supposed to be with!"_

_"Hanna, I don't appreciate your tone." Mrs. Hastings shot her an annoyed glare and held onto her unconscious daughter's hand. Oh yeah, now she cares enough to show Spencer affection. Here's a hint, Mrs. Hastings. Maybe you should try it when she's actually going to remember._

_She leaned over to whisper into Caleb's ear. "How did I ever like this hag? I'm going to need able a half of a bottle of tequila after this."_


	8. Chapter 8

**PLL LAST NIGHT. DEATH BY SPOBY. STILL DEAD. Okay, yeah. Is it bad I cried harder for Spencer at the end than I did for Aria? Sorry not sorry. **

**Also, last chapter! That's what I'm talking about! SEVEN reviews! You guys are wonderful. More wonderful than words. This chapter is specifically for Pllspobyhaleb who has been asking me for Haleb for awhile now. This isn't exactly chock full of Haleb, but there's a little to wet your appetite for what's to come! Also for Emilyjayden101 for leaving me one of the sweetest reviews that I've gotten in awhile! **

**You can expect the next chapter Sunday/Mondayish! Don't forget to review, because it truly makes me want to update faster. And the next chapter is a doozy. You'll see :)**

Chapter 8

HPOV

It had been a long twelve hours. What could one do in a twelve hour period? She could have marathon the last season of Gossip Girl on Netflix. She could have had a meticulous spa day. In twelve hours she could have bought a whole hell of a lot of pairs of shoes. But instead she was in the hospital.

Watching her best friend lay broken in a hospital bed was definitely one of top worst moments of her entire life. But laying vigil in front of her bed was an emotional and physical necessity. Emotionally, Spencer was her _best friend._ She was close to the other girls, but her relationship with Spencer was different. Spencer was the one who defended her from Alison's vicious attacks. Spencer was the one who made her feel like she was worth something when she was at her very lowest. If it wasn't for Spencer she would have failed basically all of her classes. Countless times she had stayed up all night with her patiently explaining the theories and concepts that went right over her head. There was no doubt about it, Spencer Hastings was the best friend that she had ever had. There was no where else that she'd rather be.

Physically Toby was afraid that whoever hurt Spencer would try again, and honestly Hanna agreed with him. This was all too easy. Spencer was injured, but she was still alive. -A never let them off easy. There had to be more to this plan.

"Han, what are you thinking so hard about?"

Thank God Caleb was here. She was barely managing to keep it together, and the only reason that she had at all was because Toby needed her to. Mrs. Hastings had literally lost her mind and still wouldn't let him into the room. If that woman couldn't see how much he loved her daughter than she was on crack. They didn't even have to touch to be sickeningly cute. It was obvious how much they loved each other just by how they looked at each other.

She reached out and lightly punched Caleb in the arm. "Just thinking."

"She'll be fine, Han." He ignored her deflective punch and lightly ran his fingers up and down her arm. Sometimes she wondered if Caleb could read her mind. She scanned the room for any radioactive spiders or kryponite. Whatever it was that made Superman, Superman. He actually might have been an alien. Whatever, the point was that he always knew just what she was thinking.

"I was thinking that maybe one of us should go check on Toby. No one has seen him since Emily came in awhile ago," she sighed. Before this she had never been particularly close with Toby, but she could completely empathize with this situation. If Caleb was hurt and someone accused her of doing it she would curl up in a ball and cry. And probably eat her feelings. That whole situation would bring about the return of Hefty Hanna.

"Maybe if you go check on him you can also make him leave. I don't feel comfortable having him so close to my daughter. He's obviously deranged." Mrs. Hasting's grating voice was getting on her last nerve.

She closed her eyes briefly before opening them and glaring at the oblivious, older woman. "If you seriously think that Toby did this then you must have had your eyes closed for their entire relationship. I'm pretty sure that Toby would throw _himself _over the side of the building before watching Spencer stub her freaking toe."

Caleb grabbed her arm to keep her sitting. "Calm down, Hanna. She'll see the truth once Spencer wakes up," he murmured into her ear, only loudly enough for her to hear.

Hanna sighed and turned back to Mrs. Hastings with a frown, but the edges of her frown flickered upward at the annoyance flashing in the woman's eyes. Mrs. Hastings might make hardened criminals shake in their tacky combat boots, but Hanna just found her to be rather amusing. "Hanna I-"

But she was cut off my a new arrival in the room. She stiffened as the annoying British accent filled her ears. "I came as soon as I heard. Is she okay?"

Caleb moved his hand from her arm to her waist as though he would hold her down if necessary. Not that it would be. In the year or so of fighting the -A monster they had never once suspected Wren, but right now he was at the top of their suspect list. However, he was doing a wonderful job of faking it if he was the one that pushed her, because right now even Hanna was buying his concern.

As she narrowed her eyes at the smaller man she realized that Emily didn't know of their suspicion. She met her curious gaze and gestured for Emily to join her and Caleb. There was not much of a chance that Wren would do anything in a crowded room, but she didn't want to take any chances. Emily was always more delicate than the other girls and needed a bit more protection.

"What?" Emily whispered as she perched on the armrest of Hanna's chair.

She stretched upward to whisper in her ear, "We're pretty positive that Wren was the one to do this to her." Once she was sure that Emily comprehended what she was telling her she turned her icy glare onto Wren. If he tried anything now she would stab him with her stilettos.

"Where were you yesterday, Wren? Spencer told Toby that she was going to get brunch with you right before she left him. Did you not come get her?" Hanna demanded, her voice was dripping with poorly concealed anger. They trusted him more than once. If he was on the -A team she was going to feel incredibly betrayed.

Wren turned his eyes on her. She was sure that she saw a flash of annoyance in them. "I did no such thing. You can ask Melissa if you like. We stayed in and watched reruns of American Idol yesterday."

At a happier time she would have taken a second to share an amused smile with Emily over the fact that Wren, the British Wonder, was a fan of American Idol. But right now she was determined to prove that his guilt. "Really, then why would Toby have said that?"

"I don't know, the carpenter was likely trying to deflect the guilt off of himself. The police believe that he did it, right?"

The next person that blamed Toby was going to get a fist to the face. How could they not see what she saw? "Yeah, but he didn't do it."

"Hanna, let it go," Mrs. Hastings snapped from her spot next to Spencer. "The police said it was Toby, and who are we to argue? They know what they're doing."

Hanna opened her mouth to shoot Mrs. Hastings a scathing retort, but Caleb quickly put his hand over her opened mouth. "Let it go for now. We don't want to get kicked out. Then Wren will be alone with her, and we won't be her to make sure that he doesn't mess with her."

He was right. Of course he was right. That was her man, the voice of reason. But that didn't change her desire to kick Wren's ass. The longer he stayed in here with that smug little smile the more convinced she was that he was the one that they had to look out for.

When she looked back up Wren was closely examining Spencer's chart, probably to find the best way to finish what he started. If he valued not being beat up by a girl in heels then he really needed to leave, and he needed to do it right now. She was pretty sure she could take him. His arms looked like spaghetti, and he had chicken legs.

Apparently they teach doctors how to read minds in England because as soon as her thought was completed Wren glanced directly at Hanna before warily looking at Mrs. Hasting. "I need to get going on my rounds. I will come back to check on her later, okay?"

Mrs. Hastings nodded and shot him a grateful smile. "Thank you Wren."

As soon as Wren walked out the door Hanna could no longer keep quiet. Seriously? She was going to put blind faith in the sketchy doctor, but she refused to believe the people who had been friends with her daughter for most of their lives? And the boy who's love for Spencer oozed out of him like a tube of flipping tooth paste? She stood up and walked a little bit closer to Spencer to make sure that Wren didn't do anything sneaky. "This is ridiculous! Your trust in that smug, British bastard is going to let the person that really hurt Spencer off the hook! Try to see reason. Just _listen _to us."

"We know who did this. Drop it." It was more than obvious that the woman was getting fed up with her, but Hanna could care less. She was never one to back down from a fight, even when social cues dictated otherwise. She wasn't Emily. Hanna noted her friend sitting on the chair's arm with her signature shocked facial expression. She loved Emily, she truly did, but she was not good in a crisis situation.

"Mrs. Hastings, are you crazy? Toby couldn't have done this!" Hanna groaned in frustration and plopped down on her chair next once she realized that Spencer was okay. This woman couldn't be made to see reason. "Why aren't you questing Wren? He's the one that she was actually supposed to be with!"

"Hanna, I don't appreciate your tone." Mrs. Hastings shot her an annoyed glare and held onto her unconscious daughter's hand. Oh yeah, now she cares enough to show Spencer affection. Here's a hint, Mrs. Hastings. Maybe you should try it when she's actually going to remember.

She leaned over to whisper into Caleb's ear. "How did I ever like this hag? I'm going to need about a half of a bottle of tequila after this."

Caleb chuckled. His laugh was so sexy. She literally wanted to kiss his face off. Wait, that wasn't hot. Whatever, it sounded good in her head, and as long as the mind reading British doctor from hell was gone it wasn't like anyone else could tell what she was thinking. "I'll take that other half. No limes necessary. This has been about the most stressful day of my life."

She nodded emphatically. He could say that again. The only way this day would be worse was if Caleb were in the hospital along with Spencer. Her best friend and her boyfriend both injured at once would probably be the worst day of her life. Which makes her think of Toby again. That poor kid. She couldn't imagine what he must be feeling right now. "Hey, I'm going to go check on Toby. He had to have seen Wren coming back here, and he's probably panicking."

"Wait, Han let me come with you. Doctor Dumbass could still be waiting out there."

Caleb moved to get up, but she shook her head. "No, you need to stay here and look after Spencer. If Wren tries anything you kick his ass."

She turned to walk out the door but Caleb tightly grabbed a hold of her wrist. When she turned to look at him she saw the poorly concealed distress in his eyes. "Hanna, be careful. If you aren't back in twenty minutes I'm going to come looking for you."

Her lips pressed tightly together to hold back the smile that threatened to overtake her face. Caleb was usually so sweet that she found it hard to justify this protective bad ass in her overworked brain, but that was okay because it was kind of hot. "I'll be fine, Caleb."

She turned around and walked out the door, making quick work of the short hallway. As soon as she entered the waiting room she knew that she made the right decision. Toby was standing up in his corner pacing back and forth anxiously. Once he saw her he took two quick steps to get to her and put his hand on her arm to lead her back to his chosen location to set up his own waiting for Spencer camp. His face was bright red, and his other hand was tangled up in his hair, yanking on it slightly. "Hanna, is she okay? I saw Wren go back there, and if-"

It was time to calm him down before his brain melted or he went bald. Either one would be particularly distressing. Spencer would be so mad at her if she woke up and found out she had allowed her boyfriend to get soup for a brain or lose all of his hair. Both of those things were important. "Calm down. Breath, okay? He came in there and checked her chart. When he didn't look like he planned on leaving I gave him an evil glare and mentally threatened to stab him with my shoes. He left right after that."

"And she's okay? You're sure that she's okay?"

Her heart went out to this desperate guy in front of her. Looking back she realized just how dumb she was for ever believing that Toby was on the -A team. He obviously loved Spencer so much, and that's just not something you can fake. "I promise that she's fine, Toby. Caleb's still in there looking after her, and Emily is in there also. We won't let anything happen to her. But that includes talking you off the ledge, okay? Spencer will kick my ass if she wakes up after you had a mental break down."

His head slipped down to his hands. She could see his back shaking and was suddenly very uncomfortable. He was crying. What did someone do with a crying boy? Should she pat his back? Tell him everything was going to be okay? Go buy him a cookie? But before she could do anything he looked back up at her. The bloodshot whites of his eyes and the tear tracks down his face were breaking her heart a little bit. Damn it, Spencer needed to wake up soon. She didn't know how to comfort her boyfriend. And she had a sinking suspicion that the only person who _could _comfort him was unconscious down the hall. "Everything will be alright, Toby. But I better get back in there before Caleb comes looking for me, okay? If you need anything text me."

He nodded and turned back to face the hallway, returning to his silent vigil. His determination to protect Spencer was equal parts adorable and sad. She sighed, figuring she should try to get him to take care of himself before she left again. "I suppose it would be useless to try to convince you to take a nap or go get something to eat?"

"Completely useless," he murmured, not taking his eyes off of the empty hall.

Before leaving him she rested her hand on his shoulder for a moment. He looked like he could use all of the comfort that he could get. "Seriously text me if you needed anything," she reminded him before walking away and down the hallway. Toby was seriously going to break her heart. She had never seen anyone look so utterly devastated.

The relief on Caleb's face when she walked back into the room was cute. Did he really think that Wren would be able to get the best of her? She would love a chance to turn him into swiss cheese. It would be worth the sacrifice that her of her favorite Manolos. She opened her mouth to tell Caleb how Toby was, but she was interrupted by a low moan from the bed.

She immediately whipped around and took in the very welcomed sight of her best friend stirring. Hanna walked next to the bed and stood on the opposite side as Mrs. Hastings. "Spence?" She whispered. It hurt to have too much hope. Maybe it was just a coincidence.

Spencer's brown eyes slowly flickered open and took in the room. There was something wrong though. They seemed kind of hazy and not alert as usual. She coughed quickly, the hacking noise was punctuated by a soft whimper. "W-what happened?"

"What do you remember, sweetheart?"

Hanna glanced over at Mrs. Hastings with an annoyed frown. She was really starting to resent this woman. The only time she acted like she cared about Spencer was during a crisis situation.

Spencer looked from her mom and then between Emily and Hanna. Her eyes briefly flickered in as she took in Caleb. She squeezed her eyes shut, and when she opened them back up some of the haze was gone. "I remember now. Where's Toby?"

Hanna exchanged a worried glance with Emily. They had to tell her what was going on, but Spencer was going to get agitated when she found out how Detective Hollbrook and her mother had treated Toby. Apparently Mrs. Hastings had no such qualms. "Detective Hollbrook and his partner discovered some very disturbing evidence at the crime scene. Based on that we all deci-"

Oh hell no. That woman wasn't lumping them all together in that. She quickly cut her off. "No we. Just you."

Mrs. Hastings gave her a scathing glare, but before she could continue talking Spencer spoke up. "You have got to be kidding me. You think Toby did this, don't you?"

Hanna glanced up at her heart monitor before glancing over at Mrs. Hastings. The woman had a confused, pinched look on her face. "He didn't?"

"No!" Spencer's voice suggested that a more stupid statement had never been uttered. "No, of course not. Are you kidding?"

"Are you sure, Spencer? You hit your head pretty heart," Mrs. Hastings asked her daughter in an unintentionally condescending tone.

But at that point Spencer was done listening to her mother. "He knows that you think he did this? So not only did he find out that his mom might have been murdered, but he was also accused of throwing his girlfriend off of the roof of a parking garage? Oh my God. What is _wrong_ with you? Have you been asleep the past two years? He is the most gentle and honest person in the world. Oh my God." She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and turning to Hanna. "Is he okay?"

"No. He's definitely not, but he will be when he sees that you are. He's just out in the waiting room, do you want me to go get him?" Her worried eyes locked with Spencer's. She couldn't say everything that she wanted too, but hopefully they conveyed enough about the -A of the situation. They would have to discuss this further as soon as they were alone.

Spencer nodded emphatically, but apparently the movement made her head spin because she closed her eyes as though to wait for the dizzy feeling to pass. "Yes, please. And while you're gone my mom can get Detective Dipshit on the phone and have him come down here so I can tell him a thing or two about an appropriate police investigation."

She couldn't stop a laugh from bubbling up her throat. "Oh God, Spence I missed you. I'll be right back." She lightly squeezed Spencer's hand before releasing it and walking out of the room. Toby was going to panic when he saw her, but hopefully he'd manage to hold on until she was able to tell him the good news.

When his blue eyes registered that it was Hanna walking into the waiting room he stood up and rushed to her. "What's going on? Is something happening? Is she okay? Oh God, she has to be okay."

A small smile grew on her tired lips. "She's fine! She just woke up, and she's asking for you."

"Wait, w-what? Really?"

What, now he was confused? Complex boy emotions were a real thing. "Yes! She's really laying into her mom right now for accusing you of this. She's not going to calm down until she sees that you're okay, so you better get in there."

His panicked expression slowly melted off of his face and transformed into one of pure joy. "Oh thank God."

As she followed him through the hallway she couldn't help but laugh. If this day from hell had taught her anything it was that if you didn't ship Spencer and Toby together you were wrong. Their romance was the stuff of legends. Kind of like _the Notebook._

Wren's POV

He watched from the hallway with a frantic frown. He had failed. Not only had he not killed her like he was supposed to, but he also failed in taking care of the job. But her pitbull best friend and that damn carpenter made it rather difficult. His shaking hands quickly dialed the number of his boss. He was reluctant to share this information with her, but it was something that she needed to know. If he didn't tell her she would find out another way and be very angry.

_"Please tell me you fixed this mess."_

"I wish I could, but no. She just woke up." He sighed and prepared himself for a verbal lashing. A pregnant pause filled the line for so long that he had originally thought that she had hung up.

_"Well, I suppose we're going to have to move onto plan B. You need to run before the bitch tells on you. Go talk to Melissa."_

**Next Chapter:**

_His hand wrapped around the back of her head and his fingers fisted a chunk of her silky hair. "Spence," his shattered voice murmured into her hair as he brushed his nose across the crown of her head. "Oh God, Spence. Oh God, I thought I was going to lose you."_

_"Hey. Hey, calm down baby. I'm right here." She claimed to be right there, but she didn't feel like she was. It felt as though she was floating somewhere above the conversation, but that was something she could take care of in a minute. Right now she had a broken boyfriend to piece back together. She was never going to be able to forgive her mom for this._


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I hope you like this chapter! It's a little shorter and full of angry Spencer, which I found kind of fun to write! The next chapter holds some answers, and I think that you get a sense of that in the preview at the bottom. And the one after that is one of my favorites of the whole story. Anyways, read and review!**

**The next chapter will be up c. Thursday if we get 7 reviews and it will be up some point next weekend if we don't! I like leaving the power in your hands, lol. Anyways yeah, let me know what you think! Love yooou.**

**Also, the medical stuff in this chapter. Still not a doctor, but I HAVE had a concussion. So this is almost completely based upon light googling and personal experience :).**

Chapter 9

SPOV

She didn't know what was wrong with her, but there was definitely a problem. She felt incredibly sick to her stomach and her head was spinning like some kind of demented carousel. But that was all secondary at the moment. Right now all she could feel was pure, righteous anger. She followed her mom's back as she left the room to call the idiot detective and then closed her eyes to try to rein in her emotions before Toby got in here. The polite side of her brain knew that she should be talking to Caleb and Emily, but that was the last thing that she was worried about right now.

What the _hell _was her mother thinking? She didn't care how bad it looked. She didn't care if there was photographic freaking evidence. It should have been obvious to every single person in the world that Toby Cavanaugh hadn't hurt her. Apparently her friends had kept their heads throughout this whole mess, and for that she would be forever grateful. But that gratitude could be better expressed at a later time. Right now she wasn't sure what was worse. The pain in her heart from the distress that Toby must have been feeling since she had been out, or the rapid spinning of her head.

"Spencer?"

Before she even opened her eyes she could tell she wasn't going to like what she saw just based upon his sad and broken voice. Her eyes flickered open and her heart jumped in her chest when she saw Toby's face. All of her anger immediately melted away when she saw him. His hair was always a bit messy, but right now it looked like a bird's nest, like it usually did when he first woke up. His face was pale and stained with red tear tracks. The bloodshot eyes suggested that he had spent a lot of time crying, and he was wearing the same clothes that he had been wearing when she left him before going to meet Wren. His haggard appearance caused the anger to nag at the frayed edges of her mind, but she knew that she needed to comfort him above anything else. "Come here," she murmured with her arms outstretched.

As soon as she spoke it was like the floodgates opened again and tears began to run down his face. He took three large steps forward and pressed the back of his hand to her cheek. "Spence," he murmured again.

"Hey," she whispered and slowly ran her hands up his arms until they were resting on his shoulders. A lot of strength wasn't really possibly right now, but she lightly tugged on them until he finally acquiesced to her obvious desire and leaned into her embrace. He barely touched her, obviously not wanting to hurt her. That still wasn't good enough. "Weak sauce, Cavanaugh. Hug me like you mean it."

A noise that was a weird cross between a laugh and a sob escaped his mouth. His hand wrapped around the back of her head and his fingers fisted a chunk of her silky hair. "Spence," his shattered voice murmured into her hair as he brushed his nose across the crown of her head. "Oh God, Spence. Oh God, I thought I was going to lose you."

"Hey. Hey, calm down baby. I'm right here." She claimed to be right there, but she didn't feel like she was. It felt as though she was floating somewhere above the conversation, but that was something she could take care of in a minute. Right now she had a broken boyfriend to piece back together. She was never going to be able to forgive her mom for this.

She lightly ran her fingers in a circular motion on his back, doing her best to sooth him and to help remind him that she was okay. "I'm here, and I'm fine. I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" He murmured into her hair.

"Because apparently my mother is an oblivious idiot. But also, I wouldn't have left you alone if I could have helped it. I'm sorry, it was basically the worst timing in the world." She sighed and hung a little more tightly onto him. That apology didn't seem like enough, but it wasn't really her that owed him an apology either way.

"I just- don't apologize. This wasn't your fault. I- God Spence, I just love you so much." He hadn't moved his face from her hair so his words were muffled. She could feel his tears drenching her hair, but she didn't care. If this was what he needed to feel better than she would gladly let him cry on her for as long as he needed.

"I love you too, and I'm still sorry. I should have been smart enough to figure out what was going on." She felt like such an idiot. 'Wren is going to come pick you up.' Why was she so stupid? She had a car. She should have insisted on meeting them in town.

At her words he pulled away and looked at her intently as though something just occurred to him. "Spencer, who did this to you?"

She sighed, surprised that it took him that long to remember to ask. It didn't bother her to admit that it was Wren, but it would bother her if Toby was going to run off. "If I tell you will you stay calm? And stay here with me?"

"I can't promise to stay calm. I don't want to lie to you, that seems like an impossibility right now. But I can tell you that I don't plan on moving an inch. There's no where I'd rather be right now."

"I'll tell you, but not right now. You need to focus on yourself for a minute, okay?" She knew he wasn't going to like her response, but she didn't really care. He still looked terrible. "When was the last time that you ate something?"

"Spencer," he groaned with a quick eye roll. "It's not important."

"He's just been sitting sad in the waiting room, Spence!" Hanna chimed in from a chair in the back of the room. "I took him coffee a couple hours ago, but I don't think he drank it. His stomach is sad and empty."

Toby tossed her an annoyed glare before turning back to Spencer. She could still see the underlying angst in his eyes, and she knew it was going to take a lot more than a hug and some witty banter to help him move on from this. Before either of them could say anything else her mother walked back in the hospital room closely followed by Detective Dipshit. Maybe she should actually learn his real name before speaking to him.

"Miss Hastings, it's good to see that you're awake."

She just looked at the man, having no intention of playing nice with him. There may have been circumstantial evidence that Toby had been on the garage with her, but he _wasn't there. _Had he done his job correctly then he would have saved an awful lot of pain and suffering. Spencer reached out and lightly grabbed Toby's hand. She was on his side even if no one else was, and he needed to know that.

The detective frowned and took a small step forward. "I don't know if anyone told you, but my name is Detective Hollbrook. I was put in charge of your case, and I need to ask you a few questions about what happened. Is that okay?"

"Well, that depends. Are you actually going to investigate what I tell you, or are you going to stick to the least plausible explanation possible and not look in to the obvious? I'm not a detective, but I'm pretty sure that you're supposed to actually investigate." She was being rude, but she was so angry that she didn't even care.

"Spencer!" Her mom exclaimed in shock from the back of the room, but Spencer literally did not care at all. The expression seeing red was taking on new meaning for her. This whole situation was not okay. Toby's hand tightened around her own and he took a seat on the edge of the bed.

The detective held up his hand in her mother's direction before turning to Toby. "Mr. Cavanaugh, maybe you should-"

"Not a chance in hell," Spencer cut him off and tightened her grip on Toby's hand lest he get any stupid ideas. "If you want me to talk to you he stays right here."

The detective opened his mouth to talk, but Spencer wasn't done. "And I _will _answer your questions, but you're going to listen to me first. I don't care how obvious it may have been. This was the most sloppy, disgusting excuse for a police investigation in the world. Detective Hollbrook, I can almost forgive you because you don't know me, and you don't know Toby. You should have done your job, but whatever." She paused and turned to look at her mother. "But you. You should have known better. Not only have you seen our relationship grow, not only have you seen how much he loves me and I love him, but you're a freaking _lawyer. _Instead of doing what needed to be done you were blinded by your disapproval to see what was true, and that disgusts me. I have never been more disappointed in you."

Her mother's face turned pink around the cheeks and she looked like she was going to say something, but the detective spoke first. "Alright Miss Hastings. I need you to tell me who it was that hurt you. If it wasn't Mr. Cavanugh then who was it?"

Oh here it was. She wasn't going to be able to keep this from Toby any longer. She only hoped that he would be able to stay calm. Just in case, she wrapped her other hand around Toby's upper arm. "Wren Kingston. The person I was supposed to have been with, and the person that you should have been investigating to begin with."

The room erupted in chatter, but she noticed none of it when Toby turned to look at her. He was trying to be strong, but she had always been able to see right through him. "Don't you start feeling guilty."

He took his free hand and cupped the side of her face. His thumb rubbed a gentle line up and down from her temple. "Spence, I should have come with you. I should have insisted on coming along. We might not have known _how _sketchy Wren was, but we knew he was sketchy. I'm so-"

"No. No, stop it. No apologizing for stuff that isn't your fault, remember? I would have told you to shut up and go back to bed if you asked to come, and you know that's the truth. You needed rest after everything that had happened."

The detective sighed and jumped in at a pause in the conversation. He had obviously seen that they were no longer focused on what he was saying. "The Rosewood Police Department owes you an apology, Mr. Cavanaugh. When I saw your face when you saw her I had my doubts. That kind of emotion is hard to fake. I just had to follow the law." He turned to Spencer and gave her a short nod. "Miss Hastings, we will begin investigating Wren Kingston."

As soon as he finished talking he spun on his heel and walked out of her hospital room. It couldn't have been fun to have been ganged up on like that, but she couldn't feel badly for him. Had he done his job Toby might have been in better shape. All he needed was some authority figure to have been on his side, and it could have been the detective.

Now all that was left was her mother. Spencer turned her eyes on the woman with raised eyebrows. The movement caused a dull ache to shoot through her skull, but she refused to let it show on her face. Not until this was taken care of. "What about you?"

"What about me? I make no apologies for my reaction. I had every right to believe what I did."

"Let's entertain the thought that you did, even though you definitely did not. A decent human being would apologize as soon as they found out they were wrong." Was she being serious right now? How could she possibly have the audacity not to apologize?

"I'm going to go for awhile," her mother replied stiffly. "I can see that I'm not wanted. If you end up alone please give me a call."

She turned around, much like Detective Hollbrook had, and walked out of the room without waiting for a response.

Hanna sighed dramatically from the back of the room and stood up. "Well now that all the fat lards are gone we can go back to happy times."

"Han, you've watched Napoleon Dynamite about seven million too many times." Emily sighed and stood up. "Spence, I'm really glad you're okay, but I have to get going. My mom is going to lock me in my room for the rest of my life if I'm not back by 9."

"No, it's fine Em. Thanks for coming by." Now that the 'fat lards,' as Hanna so eloquently put it, were gone she had less qualms over acting weak. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the pillows, loosening her grip on Toby's hand.

She felt the smooth caress of Toby's calloused hand running down her clammy cheek. "Spencer are you okay?"

This time she wasn't going to lie to him. "No, I don't think so. Can someone hit that stupid call button. I'd love to know why it feels like I'm drunk but I didn't even get to go to the party."

The bed shifted as Toby reached over and tapped the call button. His hands moved down to her chin and gently tilted her head upward. "Spence, look at me. Just open your eyes."

Caleb and Hanna were chatting about something indistinguishable in the background, but she could only focus on so many things at once. She blinked her eyes open and looked up at him. Fear was etched across his face. Most of her wanted to just lay back and sleep, but a stronger part of her knew that she could hold on for him. He had been through more than enough the past few days. "I'm okay. It's just my head."

"Miss Hastings! It's wonderful to see you awake."

She tore her eyes from Toby's and was met with a petite nurse. "I'm your nurse. You can call me Becky if you need me. I'm just coming in to examine you really quickly and explain what's going on."

Toby moved to get up off of the bed, but she grabbed his wrist before he could get too far away. She had tried to act strong, but she needed him as well. Someone she had moderately trusted had just nearly succeeded in killing her. It would be a long time before she felt comfortable being alone.

Becky shined a light into both of Spencer's eyes and checked the readings on various machines. "Okay sweetie, your most serious injury is the concussion that you sustained from the fall. It's on the severe side. Your pupils are still rather dilated and your readings are high. For that reason I'm going to recommend that you sleep no more than a half an hour at a time. You should have someone stay with you just to double check, but I will come in here every half an hour to make sure that you're awake."

"I'll be here," Toby said quietly from next to her.

Yeah he might be here, but if she had any say in it he would be fast asleep. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week. "Thank you."

Becky nodded and walked out the door to check on her other patients, her yellow ponytail swinging behind her.

"Well Spencer, if we're going to stay here and pull an all nighter we need supplies. Caleb and I will go get sustenance. Get your cutesy grossness out of the way before we get back." Hanna stood up and walked out the door with Caleb following closely after her.

Before Spencer could tell them that they didn't have to come back unless they wanted to the heavy oak door had closed behind them. Great, she was ruining nights all around. "Well apparently I really know how to vacate a room," she laughed quietly in Toby's direction. "Are you next?"

"I don't think anything could coax me out of this room right now." His voice was humorous, but his eyes still suggested pain. This was so wrong. Speaking of wrong, that's the only word she could use to describe how her head was feeling right now. It reminded her of the dead air screen on TV, the one with all of the black and white dots. It felt like her mind was a fuzzy TV screen.

"Spencer!"

She blinked a few times as her eyes focused on his face. "What happened?"

"You must have blacked out or something. I was talking to you and then your head just sagged forward." It was only then that she noticed that his arm was wrapped around her shoulders to steady her quivering body.

"Oh," she replied simply. "Get in the bed, Cavanaugh."

"Wait, what?" For some reason she had always found his confusion to be adorable. That was strange for her, because in her opinion a lack of knowledge was never something to celebrate.

She sighed and squirmed to the side of the bed to give him enough room. "I've accepted that you aren't going to leave, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to let you neglect yourself. There is plenty of room for the both of us."

"I don't know if that's a good idea." His fingers brushed against her I.V. "I don't want to mess anything up."

"If you don't get in bed with me right now I'm going to do one of two things. I haven't decided which so go ahead and let me know if you have a preference. Option one is that I'm going to get really anxious because you're too far away. I might even cry. Option two is that I will call Becky back in here and ask her to kick your butt out so you can go home and take a shower and have a nap." She was rambling. It must have been the medication because she sounded more like Hanna than like herself.

He laughed at her rambling and leaned forward to press a light kiss to her forehead. "You drive a hard bargain Hastings. Let me know if I'm hurting your or if you need more room." He slowly climbed into bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her head to his own. "God, Spence I'm so glad you're okay."

"Mmm me too," she murmured sleepily. How had she gone from enraged to exhausted within a ten minute span? "I'm glad _you're_ okay. I'm sorry about the things they must have said to you."

"It doesn't matter. You're okay, and that's all that I care about." He slowly ran his fingers through her hair. The soothing motion made her eyes feel even heavier. Her tired body slumped more heavily against him. "Sleep Spencer. I'll wake you up in a half an hour."

"Kay. Don't go anywhere."

"I'll be right here when you wake up, I promise." His soothing words found their way to her ear, and they were the last thing that she heard before sleep once again overtook her.

-A's POV

Getting out of that place continued to get more and more difficult. The idiot orderlies and guards were finally figuring out how simple it was to escape. It was no matter, she would always manage to find a way.

She slipped up the stairs and knocked on the correct apartment building. The journey was not in vein. Wren Kingston stuck his slimy head out the door and gestured for her to come inside. The doctor was such an idiot. He thought that she liked him, but it couldn't be further from the truth. He was simply a means to an end.

Wren's ragged appearance was only further emphasizing how unattracted she was to him. "I thought I would find you here."

"So, you found me. What more could you possibly have me to do. Spencer already told, and the cops have been looking for me. I have to stay in hiding."

She laughed softly. If only it would be that easy for him. She slid her hand into her pocket and pressed a book of matches into Wren's hand. "You know what to do. Then you come see me before you run. I think it's about time that I pay my sister a visit."

**Next Chapter:**

_"Spencer. You aren't **listening **to me. It isn't safe. I can't stay here any more." Melissa ran a hand through her thick brown hair before continuing to throw things into the open suitcase on the couch._

_Melissa could be the most infuriating person in the world. "I know about not safe Melissa, but what I also know is that you're aware of more than you're telling me. I think that you owe me some answers!"_

_"I-" She paused and turned to Spencer with pained filled eyes. "I know Spencer, **I know. **But I can't. What I can tell you is that you **need **to go talk to Mrs. Marin. She's not a part of it, but she has all of the answers that you're after__. That's why she's being framed."_


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry guys! I tried to upload this earlier, but the site wasn't working! If I post this and it isn't working again when I wake up I'm going to be so mad ahaha. Okay so here's the deal. This chapter ended up being almost 7,000 words, so I decided to split it into two separate chapters. The next chapter is from Toby's POV, is really kind of sad, and will be up around Sunday/Monday. 7 reviews and I will post it the second that I'm done!**

**HOW ABOUT THAT PLL EPISODE? The more I think about it the more I REALLY LIKED the Spoby. I'm still upset they deleted that crystal scene, but what they left was SO beautiful. Concern, beauty, and character development all around. Toby was ready to do whatever it took to help Spencer, Spencer was finally letting other people in a little bit, and her parents are finally starting to accept Toby. As long as there are mentions of Spoby the next three episodes and we get a HELL OF AN AMAZING reunion in the season 5 premier than I can accept it! What did you guys think? **

Chapter 10

SPOV

Time always passes. How slowly it passes is relative to the situation, but the hours always turn into days and the days turn into weeks. And now, from personal experience, Spencer knew that time passed even more slowly when you were in the hospital.

A week had passed since she had woken up, a long, painfully slow week. But now she was finally being released from hell. The doctor and a nurse fluttered around making last minute checks before officially sending her on her way.

"Miss Hastings, we are allowing you to go home, but please remember a few things. You're healing, but you aren't _healed. _You're still going to have your symptoms. Don't exert yourself or else you'll very likely have a relapse and end up back here. No stress or sudden movements."

She glanced at Toby out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but smile at the engrossed look on his face. He was taking mental notes, and he wasn't going to let her do anything that the doctor didn't recommend. Her independent side was rebelling, but mostly she was touched. She had never had someone in her life look after her like that. Her parents were all but indifferent, and she was the caretaker in her group of friends. But Toby? He protected her with near maniacal fervor, and it warmed her heart to know that she had someone in her life that cared so much.

Toby was talking to the doctor, but she wasn't listening anymore. Her head still hurt, and it made it difficult to focus. It was wonderful to know that she was finally going to be able to get out of here. It was easier to relax when nurses weren't constantly coming in to poke and prod her at all hours.

"Spence?"

She shook her head and glanced up at Toby. She blinked a few times to clear up her vision and shot him a small smile. "Thanks for staying with me."

His hands wrapped around her back and helped her into a wheelchair. "You don't have to thank me for that. I'm not sure I could have mentally handled being away from you, so it was equally for me."

Love and affection for him washed over her as he wheeled her down to her car. She loved him more than she ever thought possible, and she was never going to let him go. "It doesn't change that I wouldn't have been able to get through this without you."

A comfortable silence covered their walk down to the car. It was a beautiful thing to be so comfortable together that words weren't necessary.

"Are you excited to be going home?" Toby asked her casually as he reached her car and carefully helped her into the passenger seat. When he was sure that she was comfortable he brushed his hand across her cheek with a smile and quickly walked around the car to get in to the driver's seat.

Oh Toby. This wonderful boy had stayed with her the entire time she was in the hospital. He kept her safe and mentally secure, and she couldn't thank him enough for that. But now it was time for him to take care of himself. He _needed _to go home for awhile and relax. She was going to be very clever and sneak attack him, and he wasn't going to like it. "I am. It will be nice to be able to relax in my own bed."

One of his hands released the steering wheel and gently laced their fingers together. "Spence, I love you. I've already said this, but I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Her heart jumped in her chest at his works. He was going to give her a heart attack to go along with her concussion. "I love you too."

He pulled up in front of her house and hopped out of his side to come around and help her out. Once both of her feet were on the ground she grabbed his arms and looked up at him. "Toby..."

"Oh no. Spencer don't start this again, I'm not going anywhere."

"Toby you haven't left my side in a week. And I love you for it. I love you so much. But you deserve a break. Go home and take a shower and a nap. Maybe even watch a movie or something. Just take some time to yourself." She grabbed both of his hands and squeezed them tightly to convey strength. "Toby, I'm fine! My head is getting better, and the doctor said I'll be fine as long as I don't exert myself. Just leave for a couple hours. Then you can come back and we can cuddle and make an awesome dinner." She thought that maybe if she bombarded him with information he would be more likely to agree. Acquiescence by an overload of information would still mean that she got her way.

He studied her face for a long moment, taking one of his hands back to brush her hair behind her ear. "A half hour. And you just lay in bed and read or watch a movie while I'm gone. Don't exert yourself at all, and call me if you have any trouble. If you agree then I'll leave for just _thirty minutes. _Do we have a deal?"

"You're even more annoyingly stubborn than I am. Fine," she sighed knowing that she wasn't going to get him to agree to any more. She turned to walk to the house, but he grabbed her wrist to stop her before she could even get two feet.

"To-"

Her words were cut off as he pressed a searing kiss to her surprised mouth. A girl could get used to a goodbye like that. He pressed his forehead to hers while never breaking eye contact. "Please be careful. Last time I left you alone I almost lost you."

"What's going to happen, Toby? I'll be fine. Go take your nap, and call me before you come back so that I can unlock the door for you." She lightly pecked the tip of his nose before pulling away and walking into her house. She refused to look back, because as much as she wanted him to go take care of himself she still wasn't exactly ready to be alone. If he saw her face he would be able to tell.

Once she was sure that he was gone she slowly climbed the stairs and entered into her bedroom. As uncertain she felt about being alone it did feel wonderful to be home. The last time she was in her room she had tightly closed her curtains for some reason. Apparently she had felt like being a hermit vampire. She opened the curtains up widely and glanced across her lawn. Her intention had been to curl up with a book and wait for Toby to get back, but a light in the barn caught her eye.

If she hadn't been a Hastings she might not have worried about it, but because of how well she knew her family she knew that something was wrong. Her mom was in New York and her dad was in Boston, so it wasn't them. And her father had put the fear of God in the housekeepers when he fired one of them for leaving a light on in the kitchen once. Someone was in there.

Before she even realized what she was doing she pulled her shoes back on and strode downstairs and across the lawn. She didn't know who was in her barn or what was going on. What she did know was that she was done was done with all of this. She done with the fear, uncertainty, and the secrecy. If she could put an end to it she would. The nagging voice at the back of her mind told her that this was the kind of thing that Toby would have wanted to be called over, but she shut that nagging voice up. He needed to rest, and getting called back because she was scared of a light wasn't something that she was going to do to him.

As she approached the barn she slowed down and quieted her steps. This was probably not someone friendly, and the only advantage she had right now was surprise. She was going to beat no one in a physical fight in the shape she was in. She quietly moved through the hallways and quickly discovered that it was Melissa's room that had the light on.

Waiting for the person to come out and just barging into the room seemed like equally terrible options, but at least if she barged into the room she'd know who it was. Because if she wasn't sure that there was someone in the room before she definitely was now that she could hear them shuffling about. Before she could think about it too hard she pushed open and walked inside.

"Melissa?" She hadn't expected to see her sister, despite the fact that it was her room. She had figured that the girl would have stayed far away. Even if she hadn't physically helped Wren attack her she definitely had known what was going on.

Melissa whipped around and stared at Spencer in shock. "Spence. You weren't supposed to be back yet."

"Yeah, well the hospital let me out a little early. What the hell are you doing here?" And with that the anger that she had felt when she first woke up was back. It wasn't quite as intense, because this was about her. She could handle it when someone hurt her, but the second they hurt her friends it was done. She lost her mind.

"Spencer I'm sorry about everything. Please believe me when I say that, but I really need for you to leave. I need to get out of here."

Was she kidding? There was no way in the world that she was going to leave her sister before getting the answers that she needed. "No Melissa. Tell me what happened! Tell me what you know! Were you a part of this? Did you try to kill me?"

Melissa sighed and turned away to throw more shirts into her suitcase. "I don't have time for this Spencer."

A twinge of confusion nudged the edges of her mind. Melissa was as OCD as she was, but she was just tossing her clothes into her suitcase. "Make some time, Melissa! Tell me what's going on, damn it!"

"Spencer. You aren't_ listening_to me. It isn't safe. I can't stay here any more." Melissa ran a hand through her thick brown hair before continuing to throw things into the open suitcase on the couch.

Melissa could be the most infuriating person in the world. "I know about not safe Melissa, but what I also know is that you're aware of more than you're telling me. I think that you owe me some answers!"

"I-" She paused and turned to Spencer with pained filled eyes. "I know Spencer,_ I know. _But I can't. What I can tell you is that you_ need _to go talk to Mrs. Marin. She's not a part of it, but she has all of the answers that you're after. That's why she's being framed."

She paused and looked at the ground. "I was never a part of the -A team Spencer. I know you've suspected me, but I've never been the one that you've had to worry about. I'll never forgive myself for believing Wren when he told me that he just wanted to talk to you. I'm so sorry for not telling you what I know sooner."

"Wha-" Spencer began to speak, but she was immediately cut off by a sudden jerking movement from Melissa. "Melissa?"

"Do you smell that?" Her tone was one that was terrified but trying not to panic.

"What are you ta-" Spencer began to reply, but she cut herself off as soon as she smelled what Melissa was talking about. "Is something on fire?" She couldn't panic. It wouldn't be good for her. Even though she was released from the hospital it didn't mean that she was ready to exert herself so much. She could already feel the dizziness setting back in.

Melissa was talking to her, but she didn't hear what she said. It felt like she was half present, like she was floating above the conversation. She was half aware as Melissa shoved passed her. The next thing she felt was a sharp slap on her face. Her eyes slowly focused back in on her sister. As soon as Melissa noticed this return to awareness she began to speak. "Spence the stairs are on fire. We have to get out of here, okay?"

"H-how?" She coughed and grabbed Melissa's steadying arm.

Melissa peered into her sister's eyes as though to determine her current level of pain and awareness. "We're going to have to climb."

"I- Melissa, I'm not sure that I can do that." Usually she would have done anything her sister asked her to do just to prove that she was as capable as she was. But this wasn't the time to overstate her abilities. If she tried to scale the side of the barn she was going to fall and end up back in the hospital.

The capable hand of her sister guided her toward the sliding glass door to the balcony. "Just climb down the trellis, Spencer. You can do it. Mind over matter, right? You're a Hastings. You can do anything."

It was just then that the smoke from the stairs began pouring into the room. A painful, hacking cough forced its way out of her constricted throat as she inhaled the smoke.

Melissa guided Spencer's face so that their eyes met. Her sister's brown orbs met her own with an uncharacteristic amount of warmth. "If I go first will you swear to me that you'll come behind me? If I have to climb back up here for you I'm going to be pissed."

"I'll try M-Melissa, but you- I'm not going to be able to do it. I'm going to fall." She wasn't kidding. It was a miracle that she was remaining upright right then. The smoke was doing nothing for her health.

"Then I'll catch you," Melissa stated simply and quickly made her way down the trellis as though she had been born to climb like Spiderman. Once she reached the ground she looked back up at her sister. "Now you, Spence."

This was a horrible idea. She felt unsteady even walking the two steps to the edge of the balcony, but a quick glance to the door showed her that she no longer had a choice. A hint of flames were snaking their way underneath the door. Carefully she hoisted herself over the ledge and slowly moved her way down the trellis. The squares made for excellent handholds, and to her surprise she was able to nearly make it to the bottom before slipping off.

Melissa agilely caught her around her waist and lead her to a nearby tree. "I'm so sorry Spencer. I'm so sorry," Melissa murmured over and over again, the guilt dripping from every syllable. She wished that she could tell her that she wasn't mad at her, but her voice was just out of reach. The last thing she remember was the gentle hands of her sister pushing her into a sitting position before the world turned to black and she passed out.

Wren's POV

Nagging guilt threatened to overshadow the pride he felt in accomplishing what felt like an impossible task. Lighting the stairs had been easy. A little bit of gas, some matches, the motions weren't difficult. But those two girls upstairs were people that he had once deeply cared for. Too bad they were making all the wrong choices. The fire was necessary. The boss had correctly predicted Melissa's loose lips. They had to be shut up before she caused any irreparable damage.

His next step was to take a pit stop to slow down the carpenter. It wouldn't do to have him arrive at the house while the girls were still trapped in the barn. No, it would be much better if he simply appeared for the aftermath. This was brilliant.

**Next Chapter**

_As he exited his loft his eyes immediately landed on his truck. Concern bubbled up in his stomach as he took in the slumping passenger side of the vehicle. Something was wrong. He made quick work of the stairs as he made his hurried way to investigate the damage._

_His heart nearly stopped when he saw that his front, right tire was slashed. This wasn't just an accident. This was a set up. **Spencer.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay guys, next chapter you figure out who -A is. You know, just saying. If that's enough motivation to get you to review haha. I could be like PLL before they reveal an -A. THE BIGGEST SECRET YET IS COMING. HOLD ON TO YOUR PANTIES BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BLOW YOUR MIND. Only, not really. Maybe. IDK. We will see! 7 reviews and it will be up on Tuesday/Wednesdayish. If not you'll get it around Friday. UP TO YOU how quickly you want your face to be melted off with awesome. **

**As always, let me know what you think! I really like this chapter. Protective Toby is my favorite of all the Tobys.**

**Review, review, review!**

Chapter 11

TPOV

He slammed his truck door shut and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. This was not okay. This was a terrible, awful idea. He shouldn't have left her, but she wasn't going to relent until he went home for awhile. He had told her thirty minutes, but there was a snow ball's chance in hell that he was sticking to that. He would change clothes and run a brush through his hair to hopefully fool her. If he had to he would wait just outside their gate. That way he would know she was safe.

Not having Spencer in his arms felt wrong. She was like an extension of himself. Leaving her so soon after almost losing her forever felt so incredibly wrong. But she was probably right. She would most likely be fine. However, he was pretty sure that there was no such thing as overprotective when there was really someone out to get your girlfriend. He couldn't let anyone hurt her. He _wouldn't_ let anyone hurt her. It was the small possibility of something going wrong that scared the hell out of him.

He quickly walked up the stairs to his loft and immediately in to his bedroom. It didn't matter what he wore, it just had to be different. He would appease her, because he knew this was what she needed. If he were there with her she would do nothing other than feel needlessly guilty and think that he wasn't taking care of himself. Didn't he know that taking care of her was the only way that he could take care of himself? The thought of being without Spencer was too painful to comprehend. He needed her like he needed air.

Once he was dressed in a new sweatshirt and jeans he made his way to the bathroom so that he could make his hair look different. A little water and a quick brushing would do the trick. And with that he was ready to leave again. He thought about grabbing a book or some movies, but the Hastings would have all of that. For a family that seemed so opposed to fun they had purchased an awful lot of things that were to be used for solely entertainment purposes. Either way, it would be beneficial tonight.

As he exited his loft his eyes immediately landed on his truck. Concern bubbled up in his stomach as he took in the slumping passenger side of the vehicle. Something was wrong. He made quick work of the stairs as he made his hurried way to investigate the damage.

His heart nearly stopped when he saw that his front, right tire was slashed. This wasn't just an accident. This was a set up. _Spencer._

Without a second thought he turned on his heel and began to run in the direction of Spencer's house. He didn't pause to think about what the people he was dodging on the streets must be thinking about him. He didn't care. All that mattered was getting to Spencer before it was too late.

He heard the sirens before he saw them, and his heart sank deeper in his chest when he rounded the corner and took in the scene at the Hastings house. Smoke was billowing up from an unknown source and two firetrucks were parked in the driveway. No. No, no, no, **_no_**. _Spencer_. No, Spencer, no.

Arms tried to stop him from bursting through the gate, but he dodged them easily and ran toward the smoke. Spencer. _Where was Spencer?_ She had to be okay, she just had to. What had happened? His legs carried him around the side of the house and he paused as he took in the burning barn.

Just before he worked himself into a full panic attack his eyes spotted a familiar mass of brunette curls perched on the edge of one of the fire trucks. The relief he felt seeing Spencer alive and out of the barn filled him with an indescribable level of relief.

"Son, I don't know how you got back here, but you need to leave."

An older looking fireman grabbed onto his arm and tried to lead him away from the backyard, but Toby yanked his arm away and continued toward Spencer. He had no interest in talking to this man right now. The oxygen mask around her face was doing nothing for his nerves. Was she in the barn? Why? Damn it, Spencer. You were supposed to stay in bed.

"Hey!"

The fireman ghosted behind him, but Toby was quicker. He dropped to his knees in front of Spencer and put a hand on either side of her face. She wasn't going to be able to talk, but that was fine. "Oh Spence," he murmured and ran his thumbs along her cheek bones. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you."

Her eyes were unfocused, and it was like she was looking right though him. "Spencer," he murmured and shook her shoulders slightly. She got like this sometimes in the hospital, and it just took a little effort to get her back. "Spencer, come on baby. Come on, I'm right here."

"Do you know her?"

Great, annoying fireman was back. No, he had no idea who this was. He just made a habit of dropping in on injured girls in crisis situations. What kind of question was that? "Yes. She's my girlfriend."

"Was there something medically wrong with her before this? We found her passed out against a tree, and now she won't respond to us." He couldn't see the man's face, but his words were equal parts apologetic and concerned.

He sighed in annoyance. Could this man not see that he just wanted to be alone with Spencer? "She just got out of the hospital for a severe concussion. Is she okay now?"

The man began to answer, but the flutter of movement from the girl in front of him captured his attention. Her hand brushed against his own as she reached for the oxygen mask, but he caught her hand and interlocked their fingers together. "No, don't do that," he murmured in relief. "There you are, baby. There you are. You're okay." He was talking more to himself than her.

Her eyes lifted to meet his, and his heart broke as he noted the fear within them. This was wrong. Leaving was against his better judgement. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew that whatever it was he could have prevented it. He could have kept her safe. "You're alright, Spence. I'm here and I won't let anything else happen, I promise. You're safe. You're alright."

The fireman brushed passed him and checked his watch. "She's good to take that off. But she should sit here for another minute or two so she can put it back on if she needs to."

Toby didn't take his eyes off of Spencer's face. "Okay, thank you." He reached around and gently lifted the mask from her face, careful not to get her hair caught in it. "Are you okay, Spencer?"

She shook her head no and let out a hacking cough. "M-melissa. Is she here?"

"Do you need the oxygen back?" That cough didn't sound good to him at all. She had to be uncomfortable, but he didn't know how to best help her.

She grabbed his wrist to stop him from moving toward the oxygen mask and to get his attention. "Toby, did you see Melissa?"

"Your sister? No. Was she here?" He could feel the rage building up in his stomach. If the bitch hurt her then he would end her.

Spencer coughed again and grabbed his arm for support. His forehead wrinkled in concern as he brushed his hand across her tense throat. "Hey, hey baby are you alright?"

When she didn't immediately answer his question he moved from his spot in front of her and perched on the edge of the truck next to her. Gently he gathered her into his arms and ran his fingers through her hair. "Spencer, just breath baby. Just breath. You'll be alright."

"Yes, Melissa was here." She paused to catch her breath. "She told me she wasn't on the -A team, and she said that we need to go talk to Mrs. Marin."

That unbelievable bitch. She seriously had the nerve to show up here after everything? "Do you believe her?" He kept his tone neutral, because he wasn't going to upset her further. Melissa was an unimaginably horrible person for what she did to Spencer. He didn't care whether she was on the -A team or not. He had no immediate plans of forgiveness.

"I- Yeah I think I do. She could have left me in the room when the stairs caught on fire, but she didn't. She climbed down the side of the barn and then she caught me when I fell. I passed out after that, but she must have dragged me far enough away from the fire too."

He closed his eyes and waited for the flare of temper to pass. Anger was fine, but it wasn't okay to show it. It would only agitate Spencer, and he wasn't okay with that. The thought of her scaling a wall in her condition had him agitated enough for the both of them. "Are you feeling alright? Do you want to leave?"

"I think so," she murmured unconvincingly. "My head... but I don't think that's going away any time soon."

He sighed and bent over to sweep one arm under her knees and the other wrapped around her shoulders. There was no chance for her to protest, just as he had planned. Sometimes she took her independent streak too far. But right now she could barely talk, let alone walk. Predictably, she opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "Don't whine. Just let me help you." He paused and looked down at her. "Where are your keys?"

"In the house." There was something different about her voice. It was sad, almost defeated.

"Spence, what's wrong?" He asked her softly as he led them into the house. Instinctively he knew that if she told him at all it would be a conversation she didn't want to be overheard.

They maintained eye contact for a moment before Spencer began to speak. "I- I'm just sick of all of this. I'm sick and tired of the fact that there is someone out there who hates me so much that they're willing to set my _stairs _on fire and push me off of a parking garage. I'm sick of not being able to live my life. And I- I'm sick of always being afraid." A solitary tear trailed down her face, and as much as he wanted to wipe it away he couldn't. His arms were preoccupied holding her.

He gently slid her down onto a couch in the living room before wondering off in search of what they needed in order to leave. He spotted her purse on the table and snatched it grabbing the keys and her wallet. They wouldn't need anything else.

As quickly as possible he returned to Spencer. His hand encompassed hers as he sought to provide her with a degree of comfort. "I know, baby. I'm so sorry about everything. But you don't have to be afraid, because I'm not leaving your side until we end this. I can't stand seeing you hurt again."

"I don't need a bodyguard, Toby."

He sighed and kissed her forehead. He knew that she wasn't mad at him, but he also knew that she wasn't going to be able to see reason until she worked everything out that was floating around in her head. "I love you," he murmured as a reminder as he gently lifted her up again and carried her out to the car. Once he was sure that she was settled in her seat he slowly walked around to the driver's side and started the car. He didn't know how to help her, but he would do whatever he could.

Experience told him that talking to her right now would be futile, and that was fine. They could be silent for the rest of their lives as long as he knew that she was safe. He pulled up in front of his loft and looked over at Spencer with a small frown. "Do you need help, or...?" He trailed off uncertainly.

"I can walk, but I might need a little help." Her voice was warmer so he walked over to her side of the car and grabbed onto her arm without any hesitation.

Gratefully she clung to him as they slowly made their way up and into his loft. "Why don't you get settled on the couch. I will get supplies and then we can spend the afternoon watching Netflix."

She nodded and began to make her way to the couch, but before she got two steps her back went rigid and she turned back to him in a panic. "N-no we need to go to Hanna's. We need to tell her what Melissa told us."

"Spence..." Couldn't she see that all of this anxiety and stress wasn't good for her? She needed to rest before she ended up back in the hospital.

"No, Toby. No. I don't know what's going on, but Melissa said that Mrs. Marin was being framed for Wilden's murder because she knew something. I don't know what she was talking about, but Hanna deserves to know."

He took a large step toward her and framed her face with his hands. "And we'll tell her. I swear it Spencer. As soon as you're feeling better we'll go over there to talk to her. But we aren't going anywhere right away. I know you want to take care of your friends, but right now you need to take a breather and make sure that you're okay."

"I-"

"No, Spence. Stop thinking so hard and just breath. Hanna will be there in a couple hours. Just breath." He moved his hands from her face and wrapped her in his strong embrace. She immediately nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, and he was relieved to feel her relaxing immediately. "If I let you go are you going to run away?" He could catch her, but it would cause a new level of stress that he didn't want for her to put on her body.

Spencer shook her head no and pulled away. Her face was still sad, but at least she had agreed to relax for a little while. Maybe he could cheer her up before they went over to talk to Hanna.

The only thing he could think to do was to comfort her the way that she had comforted him when he needed her. Maybe the ideas she used on him came to her because they helped her when she was sad. He walked into his kitchen, and to begin with, he put a mug of tea in the microwave and waited for it to heat up to a drinkable temperature. He also grabbed some crackers and some cookies. She probably needed something in her stomach.

When he reached the couch he sat down next to her and gently pressed the cup into her slack hands and waited for her fingers to wrap around it. "I remembered how you made it for me when I was upset about my mom, and I thought that it might help."

"Toby, I'm sorry." She sighed and took a small sip of the tea with one hand and put the other hand on his thigh.

As soon as she touched him he could feel just how badly she was shaking, so he pulled the blanket from behind the couch and wrapped it around her shivering shoulders. "What are you sorry for?"

"I didn't mean to yell at you. You were just trying to help. And truth be told, I- I am s-scared."

His heart went out to her. That couldn't be easy for her to admit. Feeling like the leader of her friends and growing up in the family that she had had left her reluctant to admit weaknesses or vulnerability. "I meant what I said earlier, Spencer. No one is going to touch you. Not while I'm around." And that was a promise that he intended on keeping. He would destroy anyone who was out to hurt her, and he would do it without a second thought. Two times he left her alone and two times she could have died. There wasn't going to be a third opportunity.

She just looked at him with her unfathomable mocha colored eyes. For once he couldn't quite catch a hold of what she was thinking. "I love you, Toby Cavanaugh." Her words were tired, but sincere.

"I love you too, Spence. Why don't you take a nap?"

Reluctance passed through her eyes closely followed by desire. "I don't know."

"Yes you do," he chuckled and took the tea from her hands. Once it was secure on the table he gently put his hands on her shoulders and lowered her so that her head was resting in his lap. He brushed his hand across her cheek and his fingers through her hair. "Sleep Spence. You're safe now. I've got you, and I'm not going anywhere."

A smile passed over his face as her felt the tension slowly leave her body and her breathing even out. But it quickly faded as he thought of the events of the past few weeks. This was escalating to dangerous proportions, and it had to stop before someone really lost their life. His eyes dipped and took in the peaceful sleeping face of the person that he loved the most in the world. She had taken the brunt of the hits, but no more. He wouldn't let anyone touch her again, no matter what the cost was.

He was torn from his musings by a sharp rap on the door.

-A POV

This was it. It all ended now. Either this would work, or she would fail miserably. She pulled the dark hoodie up over her head to disguise her distinctive hair and peered into the window. What she _did _know was that if she went down she was sure as hell taking someone else down with her.

**Next Chapter**

_"Wait, what? What are you saying?" Hanna's hands froze on the table she was leaning on, and she looked at Spencer with an intensity that she hadn't known that she was capable of. "Are you seriously saying what I think you're saying."_

_Guilt flashed over Spencer's face as she nodded reluctantly. "I think -A is setting your mom up to keep us from getting some kind of crucial information."_

_It wasn't hard to tell why Spencer felt guilty. She always needlessly took the weight of the world on her shoulders to stop the people that she cared about from getting hurt. But this was the very opposite of her fault. "I'm going to go see her."_


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! This chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but there was literally NO OTHER PLACE to end it! I'm ready for bed, but I want to post this first so I don't forget tomorrow. I have FIVE midterms tomorrow. Leave me reviews to come back too! They'll make my poor, overworked brain feel way better!**

**7 reviews and you get the next update Saturdayish! If not then you can expect it around Tuesday!**

**ALSO okay, PLL?! WTH! SPOILERS... MRS. D?! REALLY? Actually not really, I don't think it's true. And I didn't expect to like that Dean guy, BUT HE'S SO AWESOME. He is awesome because he keeps his hands to himself and doesn't mess with my SPOBY. He actually cares about Spencer, and he doesn't treat her like crap unlike EVERY OTHER PERSON IN HER LIFE. Well besides Toby. SPEAKING OF TOBY... WHY IS HE IN LONDON? Is he looking for Melissa!? If you read the scripts keep your mouth shut, but if you haven't tell me what you think in your review! I'd love to know!**

Chapter 13

HPOV

Her eyes wondered through the light fog of the windows. The sky was an intense blue. The kind of blue that looks more like a crayon color than anything else. And it had those puffy white clouds. When she was little she always used to day dream about jumping on them until Aria pulled a Spencer and told her that jumping on clouds would kill her. Buzzkill Montgomery.

"What do you want to get to eat?"

Oh Caleb. He didn't realize the can of worms that he had opened up with that question. Part of her really wanted a salad. She had eaten a disgusting breakfast full of fried foods and carbs, so she really should try to balance it out with something healthy. But another part of her just wanted to call the day shot and go eat a burger. "I don't know," she whined with a laugh. "You pick."

He snorted and reached over for her hand. "If I pick you'll just whine about whatever I decide. You pick, and I'll just deal with whatever you end up wanting."

Sometimes she loved him. And other times he was a mega pain in the ass. But she actually still loved him a lot.

"Han, is that coming from Spencer's house?"

Her eyes lifted to take in whatever sight had him sounding so concerned. At first she didn't comprehend what she was seeing, but as soon as she realized that it was a cloud of smoke billowing up from her best friend's house her heart dropping to her stomach. "Stop. Caleb seriously, stop the damn car."

They knew each other to the extent that Hanna knew that Caleb would stop, and Caleb knew better than to test her when she sounded like that. As soon as the car came to a complete stop she hopped out and walked to Spencer's house as fast as her 4 inch Pradas would allow her to.

"Hanna, wait!"

She could hear Caleb and she knew he wanted her to stop, but she had no intention of waiting for him. Spencer was her _best friend. _Sure, the four girls were progressively spending less time together. They had all found relationships, were busy with school, and were spending less time investigating -A together. Not because -A had stopped bothering them, but the exact opposite really. The bitch had started harassing their significant others, and it was important for the girls to keep them safe. But that didn't mean that she didn't care about Spencer.

Caleb grabbed onto her arm, but he didn't try to stop her. He walked next to her and led her to one of the firemen. "Sir, my girlfriend's best friend lives here, and we were just wondering if everything's okay? Is she still here?"

"A Miss Hastings, correct?"

Hanna nodded eagerly. "Yes! Where is she? Is she hurt? She just got out of the hospital and-"

The fireman cut her off with a sharp nod. "She _was _here. Then a hysterical young man arrived, and they left together."

"Fancy hair, muscley arms, and premature frown lines?" She quipped, but was also completely serious. If it hadn't been Toby then they were going to have to declare this a crisis situation.

"That was the one." The man gave them one last encouraging smile before returning to work.

Hanna turned to Caleb with her mouth open, but Caleb spoke before she could. "Yes, we can go check on them. You think they're at Toby's loft?"

She snorted, "If they aren't I'd be surprised. Toby's a little bit crazy when it comes to protecting her. No way he's letting her out of his sight at his point."

Caleb nodded and put his hand on the small of her back as he led her back to the car. They didn't talk much on the drive across town. Hanna's thoughts were on her best friend, and Caleb knew better than to interrupt her worried mind.

They pulled up in front of the loft, and she hopped out taking the stairs two at a time. She rapped frantically on the door as Caleb walked up behind her.

The panic died down slightly as she heard movement from within the loft. Even if Spencer wasn't there, but Toby definitely was. He might know something that she didn't know. The door swung open to reveal a stressed out Toby. The tension in his shoulders evaporated slightly when he saw that it was them. "Shh," he murmured as he beckoned them inside.

Hanna followed after him intent upon discovering what had happened, but her determination wavered when she saw Spencer asleep on the couch. "Is she okay?" She whispered and sat down on a kitchen chair.

He sighed and sat back down, gently lifting Spencer's head into his lap. The tender way that he touched Spencer made Hanna's heart jump in her stomach. The fact that Spencer had found someone like Toby made her so happy. She spent a lot of time worrying for her friend, but there was no need for that. Not while Toby was around because she was sure that Toby would rather have his arm chewed off by a grizzly bear than see Spencer hurt.

"I think so. She will be anyway," he paused and began to lightly stroke Spencer's hair. "But I'm glad you're here. She- she needed to tell you something."

"Wait, tell me what?" This was a bit unsettling. How did being caught in a fire give Spencer any illuminations related to her?

"I- I don't think.."

Oh he had to be kidding. He was not going to drop a bomb like that and then dangle it over her face like a piece of cake. "No, don't do that Toby. You obviously know enough. I can wait until she wakes up for the details. Tell me what you know."

He opened his mouth and shut it like a fish out of water. Good God, Cavanaugh. "Listen..."

"I'm awake," Spencer murmured from down on his lap. "I can tell her."

She struggled to sit up, but Toby gently grasped her shoulders and helped her the rest of the way. "Spence, are you sure you're up to that?"

"I feel a little better." Her raspy tone made it more than obvious that she was lying through her teeth, but everyone in the room knew better than to argue with Spencer Hastings when she got that look in her eyes. "Han, I don't know who tried to burn my barn down, but they did it because Melissa was there."

Caleb spoke up for the first time from the chair next to Hanna. "Wait, Melissa's your sister, right? Didn't she help Dr. Dumbass push you off of that garage?"

Hanna's eyes studied Spencer's face as she paused, struggling how to find an appropriate reaction to that question. "Um, I'm still not positive. But she said something about your mom, Han."

Her eyes immediately snapped shut at the mention of her mom. For the most part she had done a fair job of keeping her mind off of the fact that her mother was rotting away in prison for something that she didn't do, but Spencer's words brought all of her feelings back. If she was allowed she would have spent every single day in the jail keeping her company, but that was, unfortunately, not allowed She slowly opened her eyes and glanced back up at Spencer. "What did she say?"

Caleb reached out and latched onto her hand, his touch providing a greater degree of comfort than anything else. He was her lifeline, and she didn't know what she would do without him.

"She- Oh, Han. She said that your mom was being framed because she had some answers that we might need. But before Melissa could elaborate we realized that the barn was on fire."

"Wait, what? What are you saying?" Hanna's hands froze on the table she was leaning on, and she looked at Spencer with an intensity that she hadn't known that she was capable of. "Are you seriously saying what I think you're saying."

Guilt flashed over Spencer's face as she nodded reluctantly. "I think -A is setting your mom up to keep us from getting some kind of crucial information."

It wasn't hard to tell why Spencer felt guilty. She always needlessly took the weight of the world on her shoulders to stop the people that she cared about from getting hurt. But this was the very opposite of her fault. "I'm going to go see her."

"Wait, Hanna that's not-"

"No Spencer. I'm going. Don't try to talk me out of it. I'll get the answers that we need, but I also need to see my mom." Couldn't she understand that? If what Melissa said was true then her mother being in jail was all her fault. How was she supposed to forgive herself for that?

Spencer sighed and turned to speak to Toby. Usually she would try to catch a snippet of their lovey dovey talk. It made for great teasing material. But right now she didn't even care. She didn't even know where to begin with her emotions. Part of her mind was dominated by a white, hot haze of rage. If she knew who -A was she would head over there right now, and she wouldn't refrain from kicking their ass. Going after her mom was taking it too far. But a bigger part of her was consumed by debilitating guilt. _This was all her fault._

Before she even realized what she was doing she had snagged Spencer's keys off of the table. "I'll bring you your car back later," she murmured and didn't wait for a response.

"Hanna, wait."

A gentle hand clasped around her wrist and turned her around. She could barely hold back a sigh as her eyes met Caleb's. Of course he'd try to stop her. "I have to go, Caleb."

"Then let me come with you."

Oh Caleb. He was all sweet and puppy dog-like with his floppy hair getting in his eyes. Mostly she just wanted to kiss him a lot. Because that was what she was best at. She wasn't good at school like Spencer. She wasn't an athlete like Emily. She didn't have musical talent like Aria. Apparently she was the worst daughter in the world. But what she _was _good at was loving Caleb. "No, you stay here. I promise I'll be back soon. And I'll be fine."

His reluctance was palpable, but after a long pause he nodded and released her wrist. This was just one of five million reasons why she loved Caleb to the moon and back. Even when he thought she was making a stupid decision he didn't try to stop her. "Be careful, okay? I love you."

"I love you too." She shot him a tense smile and began to walk toward the door.

"Han..."

She turned to face Spencer, her blue eyes coming to meet Spencer's wary brown ones. "Yeah?"

"I- I don't think that we should tell Em or Aria about this right away. -A is getting more and more dangerous, but maybe she won't target them if she realizes we aren't sharing this with them."

Whether that was a good idea or not she couldn't say, but right now she had to leave. She had to get to her mom. She didn't know _how _to get her to confess what she needed to know without mentioning -A, but she would figure it out on the way. She threw a short nod at Spencer and walked out the door and down to the car.

As soon as she was in the car she could no longer hold back the tears. What had she ever done to deserve this life? She _should _have stopped Alison when she bullied people. It was something that she realized now. Alison treated good people terribly. Her mind thought back to people like Lucas, Toby, and all of the other faceless people that she inadvertently allowed to suffer. But what 14 year old would choose differently than she had? Alison _chose _her. She chose chubby, insecure, Hanna Marin to be a part of her clique. For the first time in her life Hanna had felt accepted, and she couldn't do anything to jeopardize that. Even if -A wasn't terrorizing her she would regret her complacency. She may have been able to stop some of her good friends from suffering. She was wrong to let Alison get away with it, but did that really deserve the treatment that she was getting now?

It was more than obvious that she was in no shape to be driving, but she didn't care. People had called her the dumb one in her group, and she supposed that she was really proving that now. Her eyes whipped down to the dashboard as a concerning sputtering noise emanated from the engine. What the _hell _was that? Great. Maybe she should have let Caleb come with her. He, at least, could have fixed whatever was going on with the car. Now she was going to have to call Spencer and tell her that she broke her fancy, smancy car.

Maybe she could fix it herself. She had seen Caleb change her oil the other day, so at least she had looked under the hood of a car before. She didn't even know where she was, so it would be preferable to take care of this quickly. A soft sigh passed through her lips as she climbed out of Spencer's car and pulled open the hood.

"Need some help?"

The voice was strangely familiar, but she didn't think anything of it. It was a woman, but maybe she knew cars better than Hanna did. She turned around and plastered on the most genuine smile that she could manage. But the smile melted away as quickly as it appeared. It was like looking in a mirror. The girl's blonde hair curled down her shoulders in an identical manner to Hanna's. The flashing blue eyes, nose, skin tone: everything was the same. "What the hell is this?"

"Hey sis! I'm Heather, it's nice to finally meet you."

Before Hanna could say anything further a blinding pain smashed into the back of her head.

Heather's POV

She watched with a laugh as her sister's body fell to the ground like marionette with cut strings. She had been waiting for this forever. For so long she had been stuck in Radley. The only communication she got from the outside world was the occasional letter from her bitch mother who only ever talked about her bitch sister. Oh Hanna did this, and Hanna did that. Hanna just has the _best _friends. No more.

No, now she was finally in a position to bring them all down for good. And she would do it. She just had to be patient.

"Wren, put her in the van. I need to switch clothes with her."

He sighed and dragged Hanna's lifeless body into the back of the vehicle. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Heather?"

Internally she was rolling her eyes, but she knew that she had to keep up appearances when it came to Wren Kingston. As long as he thought he had a chance with her he was as loyal as a puppy. "Sweetie, you know that this is what I've always wanted." She got up on her tip toes to plant a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Once I get her clothes on I want you to take her up to the cabin and wait. I'll be in touch."

When Hanna was securely inside she climbed in after her and quickly changed her clothes. The soft silk of her sister's scarf was further affirmation as to why she was doing this. Her family _left _her. They abandoned her, and they never thought about her again. Enough was enough. This life, Hanna's life, was the life that she should have had. She should have had friends like Spencer, Emily, and Aria. She should have had a boyfriend like Caleb. And if she couldn't have them no one could._  
_

They were all going to suffer taking for granted what she spent her whole life wanting. They were going to rue the day that they abandoned her.

She climbed out of the car and gave Wren one last smile. "I'm going to need you to send a text to Toby for me."

**Next Chapter:**

_"Wait, Han. Why are you back already?"_

_Caleb silently agreed with Spencer's line of questioning. It was a valid point. They all knew how hard it was, but they also knew that the answers that Hanna went to get were absolutely crucial._

_Hanna sighed in frustration. "I decided to just go another day."_

_"But Han, we-"_

_"Spencer, drop it! Stop being such a nosy bitch. This is my family and my business."_

_Caleb's eyes immediately traveled back to Spencer. It was not like Hanna to talk like that to **anyone, **let alone her best friend. This wasn't going to go over well. The shocked look on her face and the pissed look on Toby's was enough evidence that he needed to intervene before this went too far. He gently grabbed onto his girlfriend's arm. "Hanna, let's go. Come on."_


	13. Chapter 13

**Guys, I only got 5 reviews, but I'm posting this early because it's so short! But it got out what needed to get out. It may feel filler-ish, but it's totally not. Read it carefully, because there's some important stuff within. The next two chapters are some of my favorites! Just throwing that out there! :) **

**7 reviews and I'll update Wednesday-ish! Less than that and you'll get it, I'm estimating here, around Friday. But I won't post it at all unless the story is up to at least 80 reviews. Up to you! Hope you like this chapter from the boys' POV :) **

**LOVE YOU! Here's to hoping the PLL promo is deceiving and SPENCER DOESN'T FREAKING DIE ahaha. And that they let us know where the eff Toby is!**

Chapter 13

CPOV

He watched Hanna's back as she slid out the door. This went against his better judgment. -A was still out there, and the bitch was more dangerous than she ever had been. Without him there to protect her Hanna was vulnerable, and he hated it. But he knew how she felt. Sometimes you just had to deal with family things on your own.

After his musings he focused his attention back on Spencer and Toby. He had to bite his lip to stifle a laugh when he saw them. While he was distracted Toby had pulled Spencer into his lap, and his lips were pressed into her hair.

"Spence, are you sure you're okay?"

A pronounced sigh slipped through her lips. "Toby, I'm fine. But because I know you'll keep asking until you get specifics, so my head feels like an elephant kicked it, everything is a little fuzzy, and my throat hurts from the smoke. But overall, I'm _fine."_

They were kind of adorable, but they were also kind of sickening. He didn't like that Hanna wasn't here because he had no one to tease them with. Part of him was getting annoyed by all the kissy faces, but the larger part of him knew that he would be doing the same thing if it were Hanna. Watching the person you love be grievously injured was a devastating blow. Hanna's face after he became aware after being shot was heavy in his mind. Pain like that shouldn't be felt by anyone, so he was feeling for Toby right now. He just didn't particularly want to watch it happen.

Furthermore, he wasn't sure how Toby had refrained from kicking -A's ass for what that bitch had done to both him _and _Spencer, but maybe he would take care of that when Spencer was better. Because from the looks of it it didn't seem as though Toby were planning on going further than arm's reach away from Spencer anytime soon.

"Does anyone want a grilled cheese?"

The mention of food sent a pronounced rumble through his stomach. "I could do with a sandwich," he chuckled leaned back._  
_

Toby nodded at him and turned questioningly to Spencer. She nodded and carefully began to pull herself up. "I'll help."

"No, no Spence just relax."

She pulled herself into a standing position and latched onto his arm for support. "I'm not an invalid, Toby." Her voice wasn't annoyed, but it also left no room for argument.

"Yeah, Toby! Let the woman help you make the sandwiches! I've eaten your cooking before, and you'll probably burn your loft down if you try to cook them on your own!"

Toby flashed him an unimpressed glare, but reluctantly helped Spencer to the kitchen. She wasn't going to take no for an answer, and he was too much of a worrier not to stay close.

Caleb sighed and glanced out the window. He hated this time of year with a passion. Every year should just skip right over February, because nothing good comes of that month. The wind was whipping through the trees, and he thought he might have been able to see some snow flurries. Wonderful. There was no way he could leave Hanna, but sometimes he wished he could just pack her up in his suitcase and moved to California, where the sun always shines.

The dull thud of the front door pulled him from his mental weather rant. The blonde head of his girlfriend ducked inside the warm shelter of Toby's loft. "Hanna?" He rose to his feet in confusion. There was no way that she should be back already.

A friendly smile passed over her face as though nothing had happened. "Hey, babe."

Babe? They usually avoided pet names like the plague. Had she had a mental breakdown? Not that he'd blame her. Hanna had been through more in the past few years than anyone should have to go through in their entire lives. "Hanna, are you okay?" His forehead puckered in confusion as he took a small step closer to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine!"

Her voice was much too friendly for someone who was planning on investigating why her mother was falsely imprisoned. He was legitimately getting concerned about her sanity.

"Wait, Han. Why are you back already?"

Caleb silently agreed with Spencer's line of questioning. It was a valid point. They all knew how hard it was, but they also knew that the answers that Hanna went to get were absolutely crucial.

Hanna's friendly smile slid off of her face at Spencer's voice and she sighed in frustration. "I decided to just go another day."

"But Han, we-"

"Spencer, drop it! Stop being such a nosy bitch. This is my family and my business."

Caleb's eyes immediately traveled back to Spencer. It was not like Hanna to talk like that to **anyone, **let alone her best friend. This wasn't going to go over well. The shocked look on her face and the pissed look on Toby's was enough evidence that he needed to intervene before this went too far. He gently grabbed onto his girlfriend's arm. "Hanna, let's go. Come on."

"Yeah, I don't really want to be here anyway."

What the hell, Hanna? Why was she being so rude to her friends? He knew better than to question her in public, so he gently lead her out of the loft. Before they walked out the door he tossed an apologetic frown back over his shoulder. Spencer looked significantly less upset than Toby did. Mostly her face was dominated by a confused frown. It made sense because she knew Hanna as well as he did, and she had to realize that this wasn't typical behavior for the bubbly blonde.

As soon as the door was shut behind them he released Hanna's arm. "What the hell was that, Han? Spencer was totally justified in those questions."

"I know," she murmured sadly. "It's just too much, and I'm really tired."

She pushed around and walked in front of him to his car. His eyes followed her back as she ducked down into the passenger's seat. He wanted to believe her. He really wanted to believe her, but he had seen Hanna sad before. This wasn't how she reacted. She didn't lash out. She either got really quiet, or she got really clingy. This was different. "Alright. I'm here if you need me."

No matter what was going on he would be there for her. She had been there for him through much worse, and he wasn't about to abandon her right now; not when she needed him the most.

* * *

TPOV

What the _hell_ was going on with Hanna Marin? Usually she was so sweet. He didn't care who she was, though. No one was going to talk to Spencer like that, especially in his loft. Luckily Caleb had gotten her out before he said something, because he wasn't sure how nice he would have been. Spencer had been through enough the past few days. She didn't need the added pressure of being cursed at by her supposed best friend.

His hands clasped Spencer's shoulders and turned her around to face him. One hand brushed against her cheek. "Spence, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she murmured and leaned into his hand to take in some of his comforting warmth. "I'm just confused, and I'm kind of worried about Hanna. That's not like her at all."

He knew Spencer's investigative face, and he knew that he needed to talk her down before her brain legitimately melted. She needed to relax. "Caleb will take care of her, Spence. You are going to sit here with me, and we're going to make grilled cheese and relax."

Immediately she opened her mouth to argue, but he gently covered her mouth with his large hand. "I'm not hearing any arguments here," he laughed.

Spencer rolled her eyes and licked his hand. He laughed harder and pulled her to him in one smooth motion. "That only works on second grade boys, Spencer."

"It got you to let go of me, didn't it?" With his arms around her she felt secure enough to precariously raise up to her tip toes and teasingly brush her lips against his. "Not that I ever want you to let me go."

He kept one arm securely around her waist, mostly supporting her weight for her and moved another hand to the back of her head. His chapped lips deepened the kiss. He did his best to show all the love that he felt for this girl through his movements. She was everything to him. Slowly he pulled away and nuzzled his nose into the side of her neck, just taking in her scent. "How about those grilled cheeses?"

Spencer sucked in a shaky breath and nodded. "Yeah, I think I should eat. I need to take my pills though."

"Do you want me to get them?" He knew he was treating her life she was made of glass, but he just couldn't erase the image of her broken on the hospital bed or struggling to breath on the edge of the firetruck from his brain.

She laughed at his overprotective question and shook her head. "I got this. You get cooking, because I'm starving. I'm pretty sure my stomach might be digesting itself."

"Oh that's your stomach? I thought it was a garbage truck outside," he teased and dodged her annoyed swat. "Do you want tomato on yours, Spence?"

"Yeah!" She called from the living room. He could hear her rattling around her purse for her medication.

His phone buzzed from the counter, and he snatched it up to read the text without thinking about it. His stomach dropped when he saw that it was from a blocked number, and he opened it with a certain degree of trepidation.

_'You might think that you can protect her from me, but you're wrong. Free falling and fires are nothing compared to what I'm capable of. Stop looking for me or I swear to you my next attack will be her last. Kisses! -A.'_

He quickly snapped the phone shut and shoved it into his pocket. He couldn't let Spencer see that text because he knew exactly what she'd say. She'd tell him that this was too important to ignore, and that figuring out who -A was and who hurt his mom was worth a little collateral damage.

He had to give -A a little bit of credit for knowing exactly what would make him second guess this investigation. Had she threatened him he would have fully ignored the threat. His safety didn't matter so much, but hers? He would risk everything in the world to ensure Spencer's safety. He _had _risked a lot to keep Spencer safe. His girlfriend had seen enough collateral damage for an entire lifetime, and he would not allow her to be hurt any more. Not if he could do something about it.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He shook away his panicked thoughts and forced a smile in her direction. "I'm fine. Are you doing alright?" He grabbed her hand and brushed a kiss against her scraped knuckles. His other hand skillfully flipped over the first grilled cheese.

"I feel about the same," she murmured and slid her nose across his shoulder. "That smells really good."

"My shoulder or the grilled cheese?" He chuckled and drew her head closer to him. His lips pressed into her hair for a gentle, loving kiss. If he were going to act normal after that text he had to give himself as many reminders as he could that she was still there. She was there, she was safe, and she was in his arms. Nothing was going to happen to her while he was around.

"The food, but I really appreciate the confidence," she laughed and pulled away. He wanted to just pull her back into his arms, but he wouldn't be that clingy boyfriend. Not right now, because she would figure out what was wrong. She reached up to grab a bag of Doritos out of his cabinet and a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge.

He watched her progress from the corner of his eye as his slid the first grilled cheese onto a plate and pushed it in her direction. "You take that one, Spence."

For a moment he thought that she was going to protest, but she apparently thought better of it and pulled it to herself. She placed a small handful of Doritos on her plate, and a much larger pile on his own. She grabbed two glasses and filled them with lemonade. Part of him wanted to ask about her appetite, but her annoyance wasn't something he was after. He would save his questioning for when it was something more important.

After his grilled cheese was done he slid it onto the plate that Spencer had passed to him and sat down next to her on the table. "Have you talked to your mom?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of her mother, but she nodded reluctantly. "I sent her a text. She tried to call, but I have no interest in talking to her. I just thought I should let her know that the barn was burnt down."

"I know that she was wrong, baby. Trust me, I wish she had seen sense as much as anyone. But she _is _your mom." He didn't want to be the reason that her relationship with her mother was destroyed. He knew that they had always had some trouble, but he knew that Mrs. Hastings loved her daughter.

She smiled softly at his words. "I love you Toby Cavanaugh, but you can get that guilt look off of your face. I've always had some trouble with my parents. She knows that she's wrong, and she'll apologize eventually. To _you, _ideally. But it's not your fault. The way that she treated you was inexcusable."

He nodded and took a bite of his sandwich thinking about what to do. An apology wasn't important to him. Spencer was alright, and that's all that mattered to him. Now he needed to fix things between Spencer and her mom, he needed to subtly figure out who -A is and who hurt his mom, and he needed to keep Spencer safe without letting her know that she was in danger.

Should be no problem, right?

He looked up and took in the breathtaking sight of his girlfriend carefully eating a grilled cheese sandwich. After everything they had been through together, watching her do something so normal made his heart hurt. This was the life that she deserved, and he would do anything that he could possibly do to ensure that she got it. "I love you, Spencer."

She looked up, a curtain of silky brown hair cascading over her thin shoulder. A small smile stretched across her face. "I love you too."

Wren's POV

Hanna Marin had been much more attractive and endearing before he had pissed her off. Now he felt like he had to wear body armor every time he went down to the basement. He took a hold of the heavy basement door and steeled himself.

As expected, as soon as he entered into the chilled room a plate flew at his head. He was able to dodge it, but annoyance shot through him. All things considered, he couldn't really blame her, but he wished that she would calm down. It wasn't like they were going to kill her. Well, _he _wasn't going to. He couldn't say anything for Heather. As much as he cared for her, she really couldn't be controlled.

"Hanna, would you calm down. It's just some food."

She snorted and grabbed the glass from her last meal, but before she could throw it he agilely grabbed her wrist and took it from her. "Listen to me. I know your sister, and I know that if you want to get out of this your best bet is to stay calm and just stick this out."

"Wren, you're a piece of shit. We _trusted _you. How dare you? They already suspect you. How long do you really think that you're going to be able to hide out up here?" Her eyes flashed with contempt as she pulled the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and glass of milk to her.

He sighed in annoyance. She was really the worst hostage ever. If he thought Heather would have allowed it he would have spiked her drink and knocked her out a long time ago. "Heather took your place, and plans on taking your friends down from the inside. Considering she is absolutely identical to you, I feel like this could last a long time."

She snorted and shook her head. "You clearly don't know my friends. They will figure this out."

"For their sake you better hope that's not true. Heather's contingency plan is even worse than what she has planned right now." He sighed and left her behind. This was the worst job ever. He didn't go to med school to become a babysitter for bratty teenage girls. He collapsed in exhaustion on the couch and put his feet up. It was time for Wheel of Fortune.

**Next Chapter:**

_"Spencer. Spencer, baby wake up. Just open your eyes, okay? It's only a dream."_

_She opened her eyes and shot upward and into his arms, both of her hands fisting his shirt. Deep, haggard sobs blew out her of her mouth and into his neck. Her tears ran down her cheeks and onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry."_

_"Shh," he murmured and carefully brushed his hand over her hair. The soothing motion causing her eyes to grow heavy again. "I'm right here Spencer. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. You're safe. It wasn't real."_

_"T-toby," she murmured, trying to keep her breathing even._

_"You need to breath, baby," he cut her off and held her a little more tightly. "Just breath, everything is fine."_

_She nodded to herself. "Toby, I want to go see Mrs. Marin."_


	14. Chapter 14

**So the reviews last chapter were a bit disappointing. Not the quality, but the quantity. I'm not going to be that author that refuses to update because they aren't getting reviews, but they certainly help the chapter to come faster. But I'm not going to withhold this, because the people who did review literally review every single chapter and don't deserve to be kept waiting.**

**The next chapter will be up at 5 reviews as always. The next chapter is cutesy Spoby fluff, and then the chapter after that is back to the Hanna/Heather dramaaa.**

**If you're bored check out my new story One More Day. I think you'll really like it. The updates for that one should come a little slower than this, but they'll still be fairly regular. Anyways, yeah :). I'm just glad I had another idea. But don't worry, if you care! This story still has a decent chunk to go!**

**OH. UM THAT FINALE PROMO. SOMEONE HOLD ME BECAUSE I THINK I'M DYING. TELL THEM TO PUT DEATH BY TELEVISION ON MY TOMBSTONE.**

Chapter 14

SPOV

_She was walking down a wooded path. The sky was dark, and a cool breeze chilled her to the bone. It was going to storm, and she had to find shelter before the heavens opened up above her._

_"Spencer!"_

_She knew that voice. She would always know that voice. "Toby," she breathed as she turned around. The panic that saturated his voice set her stomach in knots. Before she was able to turn around fully something hard tackled her to the ground._

_Blood, screams, vacant eyes. He collapsed in a still heap on top of her, and she could see a dark figure darting into the shadows. "No! Toby no!"_

_"_Spencer!"

_"Toby! Please wake up, please!" She shook his shoulders and brushed his blood soaked hair out of his eyes. "Toby, please!"_

"Spencer, it's just a dream sweetie. It's just a dream. Wake up."

She opened her eyes and shot upward and into his arms, both of her hands fisting his shirt. "Y-you- you're o-okay," she stammered out. Deep, haggard sobs blew out her of her mouth and into his neck. Her tears ran down her cheeks and onto his shoulder, soaking the fabric of his shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry."

"Shh," he murmured and carefully brushed his hand over her hair. The soothing motion causing her eyes to grow heavy again. "I'm right here Spencer. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. You're safe. It wasn't real."

"T-toby," she murmured, trying to keep her breathing even.

"You need to breath, baby," he cut her off and held her a little more tightly. "Just breath, everything is fine."

She slowly sucked in shallow breaths until she felt her heart rate go down. "I'm okay."

"There you go." He brushed her damp hair away from her forehead and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "What was that, Spence?"

"J-just a nightmare. A really, really bad nightmare." She buried her nose in the hallow space above his collar bone and breathed in his distinctive scent. He was here, and he was okay. It was just a dream. It was only a dream.

His work-weathered hand deliberately rubbed up and down her spine. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head and slumped more deeply into his reassuring embrace. He was so strong, so stable. Sometimes she thought that he was the only reason that she was able to get through any of this. "No. Just hold me for a minute."

"Whatever it was it wasn't real. You're alright. Nothing's going to happen to you."

He didn't need to know how worried she was about losing him. He wouldn't share her concerns. Sometimes she wondered if it was unhealthy that they were so concerned about the other's well-being and so lax with their own safety. But she couldn't bring herself to care. He was everything, and his safety was all that mattered. "I- Toby, I want to go see Mrs. Marin."

That wasn't what she meant to say, but she knew it was right as soon as the words came out that it was the right thing. Toby pulled away slightly so that he could look into her eyes. "Spence, are you sure?"

She nodded. "Hanna will be pissed, but I can get over it. We _need _those answers."

"More pissed than she was yesterday?" He sighed and pulled himself up out of bed with a yawn. "What was up with that? I've seen Hanna act like that before."

She sighed and roll over to enjoy some of his residual warmth. "I don't even know. She _never _acts like that. Not when her dad left, not when Caleb was working with Jenna, not when Mona was -A, not even when Caleb got _shot. _There's something wrong."

Toby sat back down on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair out of her face with the back of his hand. "Well, hopefully she figure it out soon."

Spencer nodded and pulled herself up to a sitting position with limited help from Toby. She paused as her head began to spin again. Damn it, was it ever going to stop? But even as she noted the negative she could tell that she was feeling slightly better.

"Spence, how are you feeling?" His lips hover slightly over the tender spot below her ear.

She tucked her face into his shoulder until she felt the lightheadedness pass. "Better than yesterday," she stated simply.

He sighed and brushed his fingers up and down her arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "I think going to see Mrs. Marin is okay, but you have to know that I'm going to want to come with you, right?"

Sometimes she thought that Toby could see right through her and read her every thought. Then there were other times in which she wondered if he knew her at all. She didn't want to be alone any more than he wanted to leave her alone, although she would never admit it out loud. "That's fine. Let's just get ready really quickly and go."

In the past she would have fought harder to keep him from coming, so she did understand where he was coming from. When this whole mess began she thought that the only way that she could protect him was if she kept everything from him. She thought that if he didn't know about -A he would be safe. What she hadn't bet on was that he wanted to protect her in equal measure. But now that he knew about -A there was no need to keep him from anything.

His hand clasped around hers and pulled her to her feet. His strong hands held her steady as she found her center of balance. "Are you sure that you're up for this, Spence?"

"I don't have a choice. We need these answers, and if Hanna won't go I have too." When she felt steady she walked into the bathroom and quickly got dressed for the day. She examined her reflection in the mirror and her fingers coasted over the edges of the massive bruise on her forehead. It was looking even worse as it healed, and she knew there was no point in trying to cover it up with makeup. It would just look worse.

She grasped onto the wall for a moment until she felt secure enough to walk back out into Toby's room. He immediately met her with an arm around the waist, and she gratefully sagged into his side. If this dizziness lingered for much longer she was going to have to go back to the hospital and get checked out. "Are you okay to drive?"

He snorted and led her toward the door, only stopping long enough for her to snag her purse and medication from the coffee table. "Well I'm sure as hell not going to get in a car with _you _behind the wheel. You're drugged up and can barely walk."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," she laughed and shakily walked next to him. "Do I look too terrible? I don't want to scare people."

He carefully opened the passenger side of the truck and helped her inside. His lips lightly brushed against her temple. "You look beautiful."

Well now she knew he was definitely lying, but the sentiment was appreciated all the same. She pulled down the mirror and smooth down her hair to cover the bruise on her forehead. She didn't want anyone asking her if she was okay. It always made for an awkward conversation. When Toby climbed into the car next to her she immediately reached for his hand, not wanting to be far away from him.

His thumb brushed a soft path along her knuckles. The drive to the jail was much too short. She reflected on what to say, and she just didn't know. She might have to tell Mrs. Marin about -A, as pissed as Hanna would end up being. They needed these answers. Toby came around to help her out and she made sure to remember to grab her wallet. The drill was still heavy in her mind from when she visited Garrett, and she knew that they required an ID. She could feel the vague outline of Toby's wallet in his pocket or else she would have reminded him too.

She was internally reluctant to let Toby come with her at first, but his strong embrace was all that was keeping her upright; and she meant that both literally and emotionally. "Do you know you're going to say?" He murmured into her ear, his nose gliding over her temple.

"No, I have no idea. I'm scared that I'm going to have to tell her about -A to get her to tell us anything. If this was something that she wanted to share then she would have already told Hanna."

Toby held the door open for her and carefully led her inside, and to the front counter. Her eyes scanned the security guards working the front desk with poorly concealed contempt. Typically she wasn't so judgmental, but it was more than obvious that these men had overindulged on the alcoholic beverages the previous night. "Excuse me," she murmured. She knew that Ashley Marin had asked for no visitors, and she was going to have to charm these hungover men. It would not do to anger them before she had a chance.

Toby's arm tightened around her as the nearest guard scanned her body up and down. "Yes?"

"I need to see Ashley Marin. I know that she has restricted visitors, but if you could _please _tell her that it's Spencer Hastings and an emergency?" She gave the guard her best charming smile accompanied by desperation in her eyes.

"I'll see what I can do."

The man shot her a sleazy smile that would have sent her running had she been alone, but because Toby was with her she couldn't feel any more secure. "I don't like that guy," he murmured into her ear.

"He's giving me the creeps," she agreed, but quieted her tone when he returned.

"She had refused, but when I said your name and that it was an emergency she reluctantly agreed." The guard pressed a button to buzz her in. Spencer gave him a grateful smile and walked through the metal detectors with Toby followed closely behind her.

She tuned out the typical motions as she waited for Ashley Marin to walk through the door. "Toby, I think we're going to have to tell her about -A," she repeated her former words. Now that they were there she could think of no other way to get her to talk.

"If you think that's best then I trust you. It's not like -A can get to her in here, but Hanna isn't going to be happy." He carefully helped her down onto a chair and cupped her knee with his hand.

Before she had a chance to respond Ashley Marin walked through the door. Her heart went out to the older woman and her dejected demeanor. "Spencer? They said there was an emergency. Is Hanna okay?"

"You might want to sit down, Mrs. Marin. I have to tell you something, and you aren't going to be happy about it."

The woman's eyes flipped between her and Toby before lingering on her forehead. "What happened to you, Spencer?"

Well apparently she hadn't been able to hide it as well as she had hoped. "It's a part of the story. Please try to stay calm, Mrs. Marin. But I- um we all lied to you last August."

"Spencer, just spit it out, okay? What's happening?"

She took a deep breath and grabbed onto Toby's hand for support. His thumb brushed a circle on the back of her hand. As was typical lately, his unyielding support was all that gave her the courage to go on. "We let you believe that the -A texts and bullying stopped when Mona went to Radley- but that isn't necessarily true."

"Wha-"

Spencer wasn't trying to be rude, but if she didn't keep going she was never going to get it out. "It was true at first, but the day that Alison's body got stolen was the day that it started again. Someone drugged Emily, and it took us awhile, but we ended up finding her at Alison's grave with a shovel in her hand. Then a few days later we went back to where Mona was headquartered and got our first -A text since Mona went to Radley."

Mrs. Marin's eyes were closed as though she were trying to hide her emotions. "What did the text say?"

That was a great way to reintroduce Mrs. Marin to the -A game. With the creepiest text that they had every gotten. "It- it um said 'Mona played with dolls. I play with body parts. Game on bitches.' We assumed they were talking about Ali's body."

She snapped her eyes open and looked at Spencer. "Why would you not let us know? Or do you parents know?"

Spencer shook her head but immediately stopped as the light-headedness temporarily overwhelmed her. When she felt up to answering she glanced at Toby before looking back at Mrs. Marin. "No. For the longest time we tried to keep it between the four of us. But Caleb found out first when he tricked Hanna. And Toby figured out on his own. Emily's girlfriend knows as well. But other than that it's a secret."

"Why are you deciding to tell me this now, Spencer? And you never answered my question. Why are you here and not Hanna?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but she was deterred by a wave of nausea. Toby, seeing that she was having issues, squeezed her knee and answered for her. "Hanna's fine, just a bit grumpier than usual. She's not really acting like herself, but she's physically fine. She didn't want to come, so we snuck out this morning. About week ago -A pushed Spencer off of a parking garage, and she's still recovering. And then two days ago Melissa visited Spencer and told her something."

"Told her what?" Mrs. Marin was leaning across the table. They had her hooked now. At least they didn't have to waste time trying to convince her that they were telling the truth.

"She told me that you had all of the answers that we needed, and that was why you were being framed for Wilden's murder."

Her face was colored by confusion until it wasn't. She looked up at them in almost comically slow motion, her eyes wide. She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to find the words she needed.

A door slamming to their right caused all three of them to jump. Toby's hand moved from her leg back up to her arm when he saw that it was the sleazy guard. "Time to go."

"Wait, no." Mrs. Marin's wide eyes traveled between Spencer and the guard. "No, hold on, give us five more minutes."

"Sorry," the guard grinned and gestured for Spencer and Toby to get up. "They've already been in here longer than they should have been. I actually shouldn't have let them both back here at all. But she looks like she's going to hurl, and he looks like he was going to slug me if I even suggested it."

If this had been any less of a dire situation she might have laughed. That was a completely accurate description of her and Toby. But as it were her eyes were trained on Mrs. Marin, the desperation overwhelming her. They were this close to getting answers.

"Spencer. Listen to me closely. Come back tomorrow and I will tell you everything. But until then- be careful. Be careful around Hanna. M-make sure that it's really her."

Spencer's forehead wrinkled in confusion, but she knew that she couldn't question her further. If it wasn't Mrs. Marin she would think that she was being fooled with. Make sure that it's really Hanna? What did that even mean? Toby's gentle hands towed her upwards as she maintained eye contact with Mrs. Marin. Maybe she could pull the answer out of her brain. "We'll be back as soon as we can tomorrow, Mrs. Marin. Maybe we'll be able to convince Hanna to come."

Mrs. Marin's face was white and her hands were visibly shaking. "Be careful, Spencer."

Her ominous warning was the last thing that Spencer heard before Toby pulled the two of them out of the visitation room and down the hall. They didn't talk as they exited the jail and walked to Toby's truck. The first words that were exchanged were once they were both situated within the warm safety of the truck.

"What did she mean?" Toby's voice was curious and a bit apprehensive. She wanted to know why, but there was only room for so much in her mind.

She reached for his hand. "I have no idea, but I'm kind of freaking out. Seeing one of our parents that scared has me really rattled."

He carefully adjusted her so that they were facing each other. His hands gently encased her trembling ones within his own. "Everything will be fine, Spencer."

"How do you know?" She hated sounding so vulnerable, but that whole conversation with Mrs. Marin left her scared to death. What the hell did that mean? Make sure that Hanna is really Hanna?

He released one of her hands and brushed it along her cheekbone. "Spencer, I can't tell you that the road is going to be easy. It certainly hasn't thus far. And things will probably get worse before they get better. But I will do absolutely whatever it takes for you to be safe, okay? Everything will end up being fine."

She nodded softly and tucked underneath his arm. "Don't do anything stupid, Toby. Nothing will be okay if I don't have you."

"I love you," he murmured and pressed his lips to her hair before starting the car. His arm moved from around her, but she grabbed it before he could pull out of the spot.

"Promise me, Toby. Promise me that you won't risk yourself stupidly, thinking that it will somehow make things better for me. It won't. I don't want to live without you." She could hear the desperation in her own voice, and it kind of felt like an elephant was sitting on her head. But none of that mattered. Not until he promised.

"Spence, I promise." His voice was quiet but sincere.

She nodded and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I love you too," she murmured, finally responding to his declaration.

Heather's POV

She sighed and kicked her feet up against the ottoman. Staying in the Marin house was like living in the lap of luxury after a lifetime in Radley. She spooned a forkful of mac and cheese into her mouth and closely followed it by a large bite of pizza. Who knew that cheese could be so delicious?

Hanna's phone buzzed for what was probably the 100th time that day. That bitch had some needy ass friends. She smiled when she saw that it was from Caleb. For all of her faults her sister certainly had adequate taste in men.

_'Han, are you okay? Answer me please. I'm getting worried.'_

She rolled her eyes and tossed the phone onto the couch. She would deal with that tomorrow. Tonight she relaxed.

**Next Chapter:**

_The kiss caught her off guard but she quickly deepened it, her hands lightly flanking either side of his face. A quiet catcall from someone passing by them to go to the bathroom caused them to break apart in embarrassment._

_"Sorry," he chuckled, his face tinged pink. "You had a little sauce on your lip and I couldn't resist."_

_Was he apologizing for kissing her? Where did she find him? She laughed reached for his hand. "Trust me, I didn't mind."_


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, let me start by saying, I got a few reviews about Spencer's injuries, but let me just say that I'm modeling this completely after my own concussion experience. I got hit in the head with a baseball bat, so I'm sure that Spencer's would be worse. So yeah, I mean personal experience and all, but it's accurate for at least some of us!**

**Again, this chapter may feel filler-ish, but IT'S NOT. Read it carefully! :)**

**I hope you love it, and the next chapter will be up soon. It's from Caleb's POV and has a lot of Caleb/Heather interaction, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. One of my favorite chapters of all of them. **

**ALSO, thanks to everyone who reviewed! LOVE YOU ALL! Check out my other story while you wait for this one! One More Day. That one should be updated soon as well.**

**This chapter starts immediately after the last one.**

Chapter 15

TPOV

His breath caught in his throat as he felt her cold, trembling lips press against his neck. She was scared. _She was scared. _Even if she wasn't still hurt that would bring out his protective instincts. But the fact that she was still suffering from her last tussle with -A? If anyone came near her he would destroy them.

"I'm okay," she murmured, as though she had read his mind.

She was lying. She was lying, and he knew it was because she felt some misguided need to be perpetually strong. "Are you sure?" He asked her knowing that she wouldn't tell him even if she wasn't.

She opened her mouth to respond, but he immediately cut off her intended verbiage. "And I don't just mean emotionally, Spence. I mean physically too. How's your head? I hate to agree with anything that creepy prison guard had to say, but he was right. You've looked like you were going to lose the contents of your stomach all day."

"I was telling you the truth this morning," she muttered into his neck before pulling away to make eye contact with him. "I still feel pretty horrible, but I do feel better than I did yesterday."

"Then I think we're going to take a pit stop on the way back to Rosewood." He lightly tapped his nose against hers before pulling away and starting his truck.

"Wait, what?" Her voice was confused, which he enjoyed. If he got too predictable he was afraid that one day she would realize just how much better she could do and leave him. He wanted her to be happy, but he didn't know that he'd be able to survive that.

Instead of sitting on the passenger side she scooted to the middle and rested her head on his shoulder as he drove. She was never this clingy, and it was ripping his heart in half. There was nothing he wouldn't do to end this nightmare; to finally have her feel safe. She had gone through more in eighteen years than most would ever have to go through in a lifetime. No more.

As tense as he was he couldn't hold back a smile at her question. "Mrs. Marin isn't going to be able to see us again until tomorrow, so we're going to stop in Brookhaven. We need some time for just us, Spence."

As he pulled out of the parking lot he could feel her breathing slow, and approximately halfway to Brookhaven her body went lax against his arm. He couldn't be more happy about her temporary retreat into dreamland. She needed to relax, and that wasn't something that she was going to be able to do if she sat and worried about things that were beyond her control.

He recognized the hypocritical nature of his words, but he didn't care. He had promised her that he wouldn't risk himself to save her, but that was a promise that he wouldn't hesitate in breaking. After his brief forage into insanity he swore to himself that he would never lie to her again. Mona had nearly torn their relationship apart, and at the time he had thought that nothing was worth that. But he had just found the one exception to that rule. _She _was worth it. She was worth everything, and he would do _**whatever** _it took to protect her, no matter the cost.

As he pulled into a parking space across the street from the restaurant he glanced down at his sleeping girlfriend. Part of him wanted to just let her sleep, but a larger part of him knew that she needed food just as badly as she needed to sleep.

"Spence?" She was a notoriously light sleeper, so unless she was completely out saying her name was usually enough.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she lifted her head up to take in their new surroundings. "Did I fall asleep?"

"Yeah," He smiled at her and brushed the stray curls out of her face. "Are you hungry?"

A pronounced growl rumbled up from her stomach as he spoke. Her cheeks tinged with pink. "I guess that answers your question."

Toby chuckled quietly and climbed out of his side of the truck, quickly coming around to help her out. Her hands gratefully grasped his bicep as she lowered herself down from the cab. "Toby," she murmured as he tucked her small frame under his shoulder. "Thanks for taking care of me. I- I don't think that I can tell you how much I appreciate it."

"You really don't have to thank me for that," he told her and brushed a few light kisses on the side of her head. Was she ever going to realize that he was exactly where he needed to be? He didn't want to be without her any more than she wanted to be without him. "There's no where else I'd rather be."

"You say that now, but-"

He cut her off with a pronounced shake of his head. They shouldn't talk about this stuff. This was meant to be a distraction, not a walk down depressing memory lane. "One day you will finally understand that you're everything to me, Spence. But no more sad chatter. We're going to go eat delicious Italian food, and if you're lucky I'll buy you some frozen yogurt for dessert."

"Frozen yogurt?!" She mocked his teasing by feigning excitement.

Toby pulled open the door and lead her inside by the small of her back. "And lasagna and garlic bread." He laughed and pulled her chair out for her, pushing her back in once she was seated.

As soon as he lowered himself into his chair she reached out and gently clasped their hands together. The feeling of her soft, warm hand encased in his own warmed his heart. After everything he did with Mona he never thought that she would trust him again. Yet here they were.

She smiled softly and squeezed his hand. "This is perfect, thank you."

"And you're still feeling alright?" His questioning eyes bored into hers, and he carefully lifted her hand to press a soft kiss to her wrist.

She rolled her eyes in her signature way. "I think that I'm going to start answering no when you ask me that, just to change things up. I still feel the same."

"Spence," he sighed. She needed to care about herself more. He didn't want to lecture her, because if their situations were reversed he'd be downplaying how he felt also, but that didn't make it right. She needed to be honest with him. But before he could elaborate their waitress came up to their table.

"What can I get for you guys?"

Toby glanced back down at Spencer, who wasn't paying attention. She was taking her pills, so he figured that she just wanted him to order for her. "Yeah, can we have two lemonades? And for our meals, she'll have the vegetarian lasagna and I'll have the shrimp fettuccine."

The waitress nodded and walked away distractedly. He felt grateful that he was talented in carpentry, because working in a restaurant was basically his worst nightmare. He really enjoyed eating. Being in the kitchen would probably shatter the illusion.

He glanced back down at Spencer, whose eyes were closed. She thought she hid her pain so well, but that was a clear and obvious sign that she was fight off a spell of nausea or light-headedness. "Spencer..." He didn't even complete his sentence. She would know what he was after.

"I'm fine, Toby."

His eyes carefully studied her pale face. He wished that she would give him more details, but he could tell she was sick of answering that question. He'd let it go as long as she seemed moderately well. "Okay. I got you vegetarian lasagna, I hope that's okay. If not we could-"

"No, no it's fine."

As they waited for their food they talked about anything and everything that wasn't related to -A. Toby couldn't help but think about how nice it was. How it was nice to be a real couple who didn't have to worry about being killed every five minutes. A couple who wasn't being stalked and blackmailed. He didn't want anyone but Spencer, but he wanted _more _for Spencer. She deserved to live her life the way she wanted to. She deserved to do mundane things like go on dates and plan for college without worrying about what -A was going to do. She deserved everything in the world.

"Here's the lasagna for you, and the shrimp fettuccine for you. Let me know if I can get you anything else."

Toby smiled his thanks and pulled out his fork. "I'm so glad you turned me on to this place. This is seriously the best thing in the world." He twirled the noodles onto his fork and took a large bite. A quiet moan slipped through his lips. "And it's only getting better."

"Keep making noises like that and I'm going to start thinking that you're going to leave me for a plate of noodles," she laughed as she cut into her lasagna.

He chuckled and popped another piece of shrimp in to his mouth. "It's pretty tempting, but I guess you'll do."

"Oh thanks," she murmured sarcastically through a mouthful of lasagna.

She started to cough slightly, and he reached over in concern passing her lemonade. "Are you alright Spence?"

As soon as he was far enough away from his plate she reached around and snagged a piece of shrimp from his heaping pile of pasta. She laughed in victory and popped it into her mouth. "Mmmm. You're right, this is good."

"That was low, Hastings." Instead of looking at her face his eyes were trained on the corner of her mouth. A small glob of sauce rested between her lips. "I would have just given you a piece," he murmured in a low, seductive voice.

"Yeah, but that wouldn't have been-"

He couldn't resist. He leaned across the table and gently pressed his lips to hers, effectively breaking off her words.

The kiss caught her off guard but she quickly deepened it, her hands lightly flanking either side of his face. A quiet catcall from someone passing by them to go to the bathroom caused them to break apart in embarrassment.

"Sorry," he chuckled, his face tinged pink. "You had a little sauce on your lip and I couldn't resist."

She laughed reached for his hand. "Trust me, I didn't mind."

The fingers of his other hand lightly brushed against her jaw. What would he ever do without her? She kept him calm. She gave him something to fight for. She stole his heart and took care of it with a gentleness that he didn't know was possible. No one had ever loved him like her. "Spence... I- I just love you a lot."

Her head tilted to the side with a small, loving smile. He could tell that she was confused about his sudden change of mood, but she didn't question it. "I love you too." She sucked in a deep breath before continuing, signaling him that she was about to say something he wasn't going to like. "And I know you don't want to hear it, but I still feel responsible. I am _so _sorry that you ended up mixed up in all of this. If- if you wanted to go then I wouldn't blame you. I don't think that -A would bother you if you weren't involved with me, and I-"

"Spencer," he sighed, tightening his hand around hers. He couldn't let this go on. "Spencer, stop. Please. I'm not going anywhere. I love you. _I love you. _And I'm never going to leave you, okay? I'm not going anywhere. Let this guilt go because being with you is worth all of the bad."

"Toby..."

"No, Spencer. No. Things like this happen for a reason. Yes, I would prefer that we could have a peaceful relationship. Yes, I wish that we felt safe and that we could do things without worrying about whether someone was watching. But none of that matters, because it brought me to you. If you weren't investigating -A you never would have come to tutor me. We never would have become this without -A. It's helped me realize just how much I love you. There is nothing in the world that I wouldn't do for you. You're everything to me, Spence. I know we're going to be together forever. These struggles, these complications, they all brought me to you. You're worth all of it."

That was a lot more than he had originally intended on saying, but it had burst out of his mouth like an uncontrollable burst of word vomit. But he didn't mind because she needed to hear it. It was all true. He meant every single word, and he would say them again and again if he thought that it would make a difference.

She looked like she wanted to respond, but she sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Just- I love you, alright?"

"You know I love you," he replied simply. He pulled his wallet out and sat $40 on the table. "Are you ready to go?"

Spencer nodded silently and he lead her out to the truck. Her eyes were drooping again, making it completely obvious that she was about to fall asleep. "Just sleep, Spence. I'll wake you up when we get back to Rosewood."

She nodded and tucked back under his arm. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her securely to his side. He loved when they were like this. He loved feeling her body tucked perfectly into his like a puzzle piece. He loved the feeling of her heart beating softly against his chest as she curled into him. He loved feeling the gentle rise and fall of her breathing.

She was here, and she was okay. Nothing would ever hurt her while he was around. As long as she was safe, alive, and in his arms everything would be fine.

"No," she murmured, shifting slightly under his arm.

"Spence?" He asked her, concern coloring his tone. "Spencer, are you alright?"

"Stop, please!"

He eased the car to the side of the road and turned on his hazard lights before turning to her in concern. This was her second nightmare in two days, and he didn't like it. This whole thing was effecting her more strongly than he realized. "Spencer!"

"No, no, no. NO!"

Her eyes flew open, and she flung her arms around his neck, sobbing into his shirt. "Toby," she murmured, her words muffled by the cotton of his tshirt.

"Spence, tell me what just happened."

She shook her head in the place where his shoulder met his neck. Her fingers tightly fisted the back of his shirt, holding on for dear life.

"Spence, please." He wanted to help her, but if she didn't open up to him he wasn't going to be able to. "Let me help you. What was your nightmare about?"

"I- was walking in the woods. And you were there, but I didn't see you. Y-you yelled my name and pushed me to the g-ground." She took a shaky breath before continuing. "W-when I looked back up you were covered in b-blood and I think you were d-dead."

The insubstantial tone in her voice was making his heart hurt. He had never heard her sound so scared, and he truly wished that she would care more about herself and less about him. "Spence-"

"A-and then I looked over your shoulder and a shadowy fig-figure jumped at me. After t-that I woke up." She nuzzled her face into his neck, her deep breaths rocking through her entire body and reverberating through his..

This wasn't okay. She didn't deserve this. "Spencer, I'm right here. I'm here and I'm fine. I'm alright, you're alright. Just breath, baby. Just breath."

He wrapped both of his arms tightly around her body and waited for her to calm down. "Spencer, just close your eyes and relax. Nothing bad is going to happen. I'll never leave you. I promise you that I'll never leave you."

The silky strands of her hair tickled her neck as she nodded against him. "Okay," she murmured. One last deep breath and she pushed away from him. "I'm sorry. It just felt so real."

He pushed her hair out of her face and pressed a careful kiss to her forehead. "Don't apologize. Are you alright now?"

She nodded and leaned back against him. Toby put the car into drive and pulled back out onto the highway. He didn't know what was causing this anxiety, but what he did know was that it renewed his desire to protect her. Nothing would make her feel this way again.

Hanna's POV

She pulled the ratty old blanket over her shoulders and curled up against the wall. She talked a big game, but she was literally scared to death. Every time Wren brought her food she told him that they'd figure it out. That Caleb and Spencer, at least, would realize that it wasn't true, that Heather wasn't her.

But she didn't believe that. They had no idea that she had a twin. They would see something wrong and just think that she was having some kind of outrageous personality change. Caleb would probably believe that aliens took over her mind before he believed that she had a twin.

Why had her mother never told her about this? Why had she left her vulnerable to this kind of attack? Maybe they would have been able to stop Heather earlier had she known that the psycho existed.

The door to the basement unlatched, and she grabbed the plate from last night's dinner. If she had to be stuck down here she would do the best that she could to knock that smug British bastard's head off.

**Next Chapter**

_"Han, we need to go see Spencer and Toby. We're never going to figure out what's going on without them." He hated trying to convince Hanna to do anything, but she wasn't seeing reason. What was this shit? Invasion of the freaking body snatchers? What was going on with her?_

_She whipped around to face him, her eyes blazing. "If I didn't know better I would think that you had a thing for her."_

_His eyes widened and he coughed in absolute, utter shock. "Excuse me?"_


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry this is so late guys! Honestly, I'm losing my writing mojo a bit. :/. That combined with a busy schedule is making this come a bit slower. Don't worry, because this WILL get done, but it just might be a bit slower.**

**THAT FINALE? If anyone wants to talk about that finale then we need to just go ahead and chat. Shoot my a PM. **

**The next chapter will be from Spencer's POV, and is one of my favorites. Hope you love it. Review and let me know what you think, okay? LOVE YOOOOU.**

Chapter 16

CPOV

He typically prided himself in being a calm guy. He didn't let himself worry. Things usually worked out fine in the end. But right now he was freaking out. No, that wasn't strong enough. He was panicking.

Last night he had called and texted Hanna well over a dozen times, and she never answered him. Scenario after terrifying scenario flashed through his mind. Had she somehow injured herself? With her mom in jail Hanna spent her time alone, and she would have had no one there to help her. Had someone broken in to her house and kidnapped her? Had -A finally tired of torturing Spencer and moved on to Hanna? It was clear that Aria and Emily weren't a threat, so Hanna would be the next logical step.

What he found as he hopped out of the car and walked around back was the one scenario that hadn't crossed his mind. He peered through the window in confusion and knocked three times fast. When Hanna turned around from her place at the counter her bored frown stretched out into a grin.

"Caleb!"

She sounded normal, but that didn't alleviate his confusion. "Han, are you making cinnamon rolls? And bacon?"

"Yes! Do you want some? I made a ton!"

"Han..." He was confused. The last time that he had suggested making a fattening breakfast she nearly threw a sauce pan at his head. She _never _ate like this. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Her forehead wrinkled in confusion and she reached out to put a hand on his arm.

His eyes moved from her face, to her hand on his arm, and back to his face again. "I- um are you hungry or something?"

Her hand removed itself from his arm in a near comical pace. "Are you calling me fat?"

"What!?" He took a step back lest she start throwing things, and immediately shook his head no. "No! Hanna, what the hell is going on with you?"

"Now you think I'm crazy? God, Caleb did you just come over to insult me?" She snagged a piece of bacon off of the table and flopped onto a chair like a petulant child.

"Um-" he began, but he really had no idea what to say. He had never experienced this Hanna before. He needed expert advice. "Do you want to go check on Spencer with me?" Maybe Spencer had experience in dealing with bat shit crazy, Hanna.

"No! Spencer is being so annoying right now. Like, oh no I fell down and hit my head. Everyone worship me, okay?" Hanna rolled her eyes and got up to grab a glass of milk.

Was she kidding? It wasn't like Hanna to be so cavalier with her best friend's well-being. He was at a loss, but he knew that he needed to get her over there.

"Han, we need to go see Spencer and Toby. We're never going to figure out what's going on without them." He hated trying to convince Hanna to do anything, but she wasn't seeing reason. What was this shit? Invasion of the freaking body snatchers? What was going on with her?

She whipped around to face him, her eyes blazing. "If I didn't know better I would think that you had a thing for her."

His eyes widened and he coughed in absolute, utter shock. "Excuse me?"

"I mean all you talk about is Spencer this and Spencer that. Maybe you want to be with her and not me." A little bit of vulnerability seeped into her voice, and as always, that was his downfall.

"Han, you have to know that that's not true." He took a large step forward and gently placed his hands on her knees. "First of all, Spencer is sweet, but she's definitely not my type. Secondly, if you tell him this I'll deny it, but I'm pretty sure that Toby could kick my ass. And third, I _love _you." He reached out to brushed her hair behind her ear. "I love you, Han. And I don't know what's going on with you right now, but that doesn't change anything."

He was never so sappy, and he kind of wanted to look away. But she was obviously hurting and needed his support. The annoyed lines on her face immediately softened. "I love you too," she murmured and leaned forward to press her lips to his in a heated kiss.

There was something different about this kiss. It was more desperate than their usually romantic moments. Her desperation oozed through every single movement that she made. This was quite the difficult time for her, and he vowed to be more supportive. She didn't have to go through this alone.

His hands traveled to the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her corn silk hair. Before he met Hanna he had felt constantly alone. It was as though no one had or ever would love him. But then Hanna came into his life like a tenacious, blonde tornado, and she wrecked everything. She made everything more difficult, and being with her was so terrifying sometimes. But she was his world, and he would change nothing. All of the negatives were worth the joy that she gave him.

Before he could speak she pulled away slightly and ran her fingers across the jawline on his stubble. "You need to shave," she laughed. "Let's go see Spencer and Toby." Her voice was reluctant, but it was all that he could ask for, all things considered.

He nodded and reached for her hand, leading her to the car. "Everything will be fine, Han."

They drove together to Toby's loft in companionable silence. Hanna's fingers tapped on the dashboard in a show of nervous energy. Caleb ignored it for as long as possible, but as they pulled up in front of the Brew he reached out and snagged her fingers. "Calm down, okay? These are your friends, not a firing squad."

"I- I know, Caleb. I just- I don't know, I just wish that we could forget about all of this and move on with our lives."

Oh how he wished he could give that to her, but if they didn't pursue this that life without -A would never happen. "I know, Han. I know. But we'll get there, I promise. It just might take some time and effort."

She nodded silently and climbed out of the car. He watched her progress for a moment before getting out and trailing behind her. Part of him was sure that she was going to bolt. If need be he would drag her up the stairs kicking and screaming, because he was sure that this was what she needed. He wasn't sure how he knew it, but he chalked it up to boyfriend instinct.

A quick rap on the door cause Toby to swing the door open. When he saw who it was a confusing, tense line appeared between his eyebrows. Why was everyone acting so screwy today? "Hey, Toby. Can we come in?"

"Um- Yeah," he murmured and stepped aside. Toby glanced over his shoulder, presumably at Spencer, and walked back into the house.

His eyes swept the room, now confused himself. "Are you guys going somewhere?"

Spencer's head swiveled in his direction before glancing at Toby and warily making eye contact with Hanna. "We, um-" She paused as her shaky fingers buttoned up her jacket. She still didn't look very good. Her complexion was about exactly the same color as milk or a marshmellow and her hands were visibly shaking.

"Spencer, just spit it out." Hanna's demand wasn't rude, but it certainly wasn't an inviting tone either. Someone needed to get her attitude in check before Spencer smacked her. Obviously Caleb would have to take Hanna's side, but at this point he couldn't say that he blamed Spencer if she retaliated.

"Um- We're uh going to see your mom." Spencer pulled on her gloves and looked at Hanna unflinchingly. The fact that those two had been friends for life was never more apparent than in the way that Spencer's eyes flashed with determination and no fear.

"Excuse me?" Hanna's voice was saturated with a scary kind of anger that he hadn't previously heard. "Spencer what the hell is your problem? How could you? I told you that I-"

"No. No Hanna, stop it." Spencer cut Hanna off with an annoyed snap. "I recognize you're going through an awful time. I really do. And you're going to have to forgive the shortness of my reply because I feel like absolute shit, but you need to drop the angry girl act and get your mind back in the right place. Your mom is in jail because of -A. And until we figure out who -A is we'll never get her out of there. We'll never feel safe, and we will never be able to move on with our lives. I'm not trying to be insensitive, but this is about much more than just you, me, or any of us in this room. We have the rest of our parents, Em, and Aria to think about too. And honestly? I'm going with or without you. And without you will be my choice if you don't get your attitude into check. Can you come and be helpful, or do you want to stay here and sulk?"

Caleb had to bite his lip and turn away to keep from laughing. This was exactly why he knew it was a good idea to bring Hanna here. Spencer would know how to deal with her. But he also recognized that it would be beneficial to keep his eye on his girlfriend, because if she didn't respond well she might try to scratch Spencer's eyes out.

But the long laugh that escaped from her lips surprised him. That was definitely wasn't what he was expecting. "Oh Spencer Hastings, if that was anyone else I might have thrown my Jimmy Choos at them, and I have surprisingly good aim. You're lucky I kind of like you."

Spencer cocked an eyebrow in response. "I like you a little bit, I guess. Do you want to come with us?"

"Can I drive?" Hanna's request was surprising, but not an unwelcome response. When the four of them went places together Hanna was typically the last person who would offer to drive, but if that was what it takes to get her in the car Caleb had no problem with it. He glanced between Spencer and Toby before tossing Hanna the keys.

Spencer and Toby exchanged a concerned glance before starting at the same time toward the door. "Wha-" But his question trailed off at a sharp glare from Spencer. She was scheming. He didn't know what was going on, but he had a feeling that he was about to find out.

Heather's POV

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. She knew that Spencer would be a problem. The bitch was too observant for her own good. And damn Melissa Hastings for dropping the hint about Ashley Marin. If she had been thinking she would have taken out that entire family while she had the chance.

This was not going to end yet. Not if she had anything to say about it. She would just have to convince Ashley Marin that she was her daughter. It was working on Caleb. It was working on Spencer to an extent. If she could fool them she could definitely fool Mama Marin, right?

She pulled out onto the street an unconscious grin spreading across her face as her mind drifted off toward the kiss with Caleb. If nothing else, her sister had delicious taste in men.

**Next Chapter:**

_Mrs. Marin told her to make sure that it was Hanna, but what did that even mean? How was she supposed to do that? _

_"Spence, what are you thinking so hard about back there?"_

_Hanna's sharp tone was teasing, but it was still so unlike her typical, friendly verbiage. Either way, this was her opening. "I was just thinking about that time that you borrowed Toby, and took him to that school dance to make Caleb jealous. And Caleb totally fell for it, and starting hitting on Emily in response before he found out that she was gay. Remember?"_

_She forced a strained laugh at the end of her sentence. There was no need to warn Toby to go along with her totally fabricated tale, but she gave Caleb a warning glare when he looked at her in confusion. He couldn't ruin this._

_"Yes! That was the best day ever."_

_She resisted the urge to exchange a glance with Toby. Something was wrong._


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! I'm posting this so quickly because 1. I feel bad I made you wait so long last time! and 2. This is pretty short! But I really do like this chapter. Spencer and her computer brain is basically my favorite thing. **

**Let me know what you think, alright? If you read this just review! Because they make me really excited, and they make me update faster. It's a proven fact.**

Chapter 17

SPOV

She walked slowly down the steps, her head pulsating with every soft footfall. It was like her brain was trying to claw itself out of her skull, and she was completely tired of it. Had she known that things were going to be so difficult she may have requested another few days in the hospital, because this constant stress could not be good for her, and she would really appreciate feeling better.

The wind blew around her, caressing her feverish body with its cool touch. Goosebumps appeared all along her bare skin as she tucked herself underneath of Toby's arm; his warm embrace comforting her like nothing else was able to.

Spencer walked quietly next to Toby and examined the back of Hanna's head in confusion. There's something different about her hair. The color and texture were identical, but it was different. A little less kept than usually. Maybe a few split ends?

Toby slipped ahead of her and pulled the door open for her. Sometimes she wondered if his mom sent him to etiquette school, because his manners were impeccable. He was always the gentleman, despite their trying circumstances. His steadying hand found its way the the small of her back as he guided her into the car and carefully shut the door behind her.

A small part of her was tired of his constant care taking, but a larger part of her knew that it was more than called for. When the doctor let her leave the hospital he told her that she would be fine with rest, but she hadn't had a single opportunity to just relax. She was stressed and constantly pushed to the point of exhaustion, none of once were a recipe for a smooth recovery.

The seat shifted as Toby sat down next to her and gently grasped her hand. Her eyes bore into the back of Hanna's head. Even if they hadn't visited Mrs. Marin then she would still suspect that something was wrong. Hanna wasn't just acting different, she was acting like a completely different person. She needed to figure this out. Everyone was counting on her to figure this out, whether they admitted it or not. Toby and Caleb were smart, but they didn't think in the same way that she did. If anyone was going to figure this out it was her.

Spencer sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her head throbbed as she thought through the different possibilities. This was all too much. She reached for her purse, and her heart jumped in fear as she realized that she forgot her medication. As long as this was just a quick trip to the jail she should be fine, but she had a feeling that this was going to end up being a less routine trip.

She slowly opened her eyes as Toby's fingers slipped between her own and interlocked them together. His thumb brushed out a soothing pattern on the back of her hand. "Spence, are you alright?"

Answering him wasn't an option right now, because she wasn't going to lie. She shot him a soft smile and closed her eyes again. She was missing something. There was something big that she was missing that could potentially connect all of the dots. Her brain needed to work. Mrs. Marin's worried face flashed through her mind. She told her to make sure that it was Hanna, but what did that even mean? How was she supposed to do that?

"Spence, what are you thinking so hard about back there?"

Hanna's sharp tone was teasing, but it was still so unlike her typical, friendly verbiage. Either way, this was her opening. "I was just thinking about that time that you borrowed Toby, and took him to that school dance to make Caleb jealous. And Caleb totally fell for it, and starting hitting on Emily in response before he found out that she was gay. Remember?"

She forced a strained laugh at the end of her sentence. There was no need to warn Toby to go along with her totally fabricated tale, but she gave Caleb a warning glare when he looked at her in confusion. He couldn't ruin this.

"Yes! That was the best day ever."

She resisted the urge to exchange a glance with Toby. Something was wrong. What was she missing? What could she not see? She thought back to a few days ago when the visited Dr. Palmer. When he pointed out Hanna in the picture she thought it was a senile man's mistake, but what if it wasn't? What if- what if there were two of her? Twins?

"Where are we going?"

Her eyes slipped open at Caleb's words and glanced out the window in confusion. This wasn't the most direct route to the jail.

"What are you talking about?" Hanna asked Caleb, her voice unsure. She flipped on the turn signal and changed lanes. "We're going to visit my mom."

"No, Han. This isn't the right way." She had to force out Hanna's name, because the longer they spent in the car the more sure she was that this wasn't her friend.

"What are you talking about, Spencer? I'm not an idiot. I know how to get there."

Apparently she didn't, but she wasn't going to get in a screaming match. When she was twelve she was bored so she memorized a map of Rosewood. Not only was this not the most direct route, but it was also the complete incorrect direction.

Fighting wasn't going to solve anything. What she needed to do was prove her suspicions. Caleb wasn't going to believe her without more proof, and she didn't blame him. "Han, you know what else I was thinking about?"

"What?" Her voice suggested that Spencer was getting bothersome, which was an added bonus. Either she would completely destroy this girl's credibility by causing her to support fabricated stories or she would cause her to blow up in a completely non-Hanna manner.

"That time we decided that we went to Disney World for spring break last year? Remember? My mom told me that I could take one friend, and I brought you because you said it was your dream to meet Mickey Mouse." Caleb would know that this wasn't true. Hanna was a closeted Disney nut and made it more than clear how unfair she thought it was that she had never been able to go to Disney World.

"Yes! Oh my God, I was so excited. I felt bad for Em and Aria though."

That was it. This wasn't Hanna. She didn't know who the hell this bitch was, but they needed to get out of the car. How stupid was she to let her drive? Mrs. Marin warned them. She _warned_ them. "Yeah," she murmured.

Her eyes lifted to make eye contact with Toby. He needed to know that something was wrong. His blue eyes clouded with concern as he gave her a terse nod and pressed his lips to her temple.

Hanna sighed from the front seat of the car. She slammed on the brakes and did an illegal U-turn in the middle of the street. "You know, don't you?"

Toby's arm tightened around her as she slammed into his side. "Are you alright?" He murmured into her ear.

"This isn't going to end well," she replied only loudly enough for him to hear.

"Hanna, what the hell are you doing?" Caleb braced himself with both hands on top of the car and turned to the impostor in horror.

Spencer tucked her body more deeply into Toby's side and looked at Caleb with wide eyes. "That's not Hanna."

"What?" He glanced back at Spencer and then at Hanna. "Of course it is."

"No, Caleb." She turned her gaze onto the person in the driver's seat. "It's not."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're too smart for your own good?" Piercing blue eyes met her own in the rear view mirror. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Heather."

**Next Chapter:**

_He glanced down at Spencer in concern. The doctor had told her that she could leave, but he was certain that a hostage situation wasn't something that was anticipated. He was as worried about her health as he was about anything._

_"Where is Hanna?" Caleb's voice was dangerously low, and he was pretty sure that if this Heather didn't talk that he might hit her. Hopefully he had enough sense not to beat their driver._

_"I'm taking you to her, but don't try anything. I certainly have no qualms ending my shitty excuse for an existence. I will drive off of this cliff and take all three of you with me. And if that happens Hanna will be screwed too. Wren knows what to do if he doesn't hear from me."_

_Toby dearly wanted to do nothing more than to toss Spencer over his shoulder and find some way to escape from their prison, but he wouldn't do that to Hanna. His muscles bulged as he tightened his grip on Spencer. Whatever happened he would make sure that she was safe._


	18. Chapter 18

**Next chapter = more answers! Get excited, lol! And I'm finally done with my thesis, so it will probably come a little faster than usual! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and check out my other story, One More Day, when you get a chance! It's pretty alright :)**

Chapter 18

TPOV

_"Nice to finally met you. I'm Heather."_

His heart sank at the blonde's declaration. This had been something that he had suspected since their meeting with Mrs. Marin yesterday, but he had hoped that it was his imagination. He had hoped that Hanna was just having a bad couple days. After everything that had happened the girl was certainly justified in her anger. But apparently this was an impostor.

"And you're Hanna's twin?"

He glanced down at Spencer, wishing that she wouldn't talk. If the blonde was crazy enough to trade places with Hanna she was crazy enough to be infuriated by Spencer's simple questions.

"Wow, and I thought you were the smart one, Hastings. No, we're just identical strangers. This isn't the Parent Trap, alright?" The blonde swerved dangerously, changing lanes.

Toby's arms wrapped around Spencer to stop her from slamming into the side door. "Spence, stop. Don't piss her off," he murmured in her ear, only loudly enough for her to hear.

She glanced up at him with an unimpressed frown. She wasn't going to listen to him, but what else was new? She didn't listen to anyone. Her protective instincts were wild, but she was absolutely and truly reckless when it came to her own welfare. He didn't want to be overprotective, but if she didn't think of herself then he would have to do it for her.

"I don't understand. What the hell is going on? Where's Hanna?" Toby could practically feel Caleb's agitation from where he was sitting. And he certainly couldn't blame him. If Spencer was the one that was missing he would have lost his mind. He _did _lose it a little bit when she was in the hospital.

"Caleb you're hot, but you're not all that bright, are you? I didn't take much time to get to know the inner details of my sister's life, but I did learn enough to know that you two have been dating for quite some time. I did gather some intel from Mona before I stole her shitty game from her. You'd think that would mean you'd know that I wasn't her."

"That's hard to do when you have no idea that someone has a body double." Spencer's voice was weak, and her words jumbled in a way that was atypical. She could try to hide the fact that she was feeling poorly all she wanted, but her voice always told the truth in the end.

He glanced down at Spencer in concern. The doctor had told her that she could leave, but he was certain that a hostage situation wasn't something that was anticipated. He was as worried about her health as he was about anything.

"Where is Hanna?" Caleb's voice was dangerously low as he repeated his question, and he was pretty sure that if this Heather didn't talk that he might hit her. Hopefully he had enough sense not to beat their driver.

"No need to flip out, she should be fine. I'm taking you to her, but don't try anything. I certainly have no qualms ending my shitty excuse for an existence. I will drive off of this cliff and take all three of you with me. And if that happens Hanna will be screwed too. Wren knows what to do if he doesn't hear from me."

Toby dearly wanted to do nothing more than to toss Spencer over his shoulder and find some way to escape from their prison, but he wouldn't do that to Hanna. His muscles bulged as he tightened his grip on Spencer. Whatever happened he would make sure that she was safe.

"I swear to God, if she's not okay-"

"What? What are you going to do, Caleb? Because from where I'm sitting you're in not position to make threats. Spencer looks like shit, and Toby's more concerned with her than helping you. You could attack me if you wanted, and you could probably win. But you'll never find Hanna that way."

Caleb opened his mouth to protest, but he immediately shut it. He was angry, but he wasn't unintelligent. He had to see that she was right.

"Heather?"

He whipped his head down and studied his girlfriend's face with attentive eyes. She was pointedly avoiding his gaze, which meant that she was going to say something stupid. Oh God, Spencer shut up.

"Oh, Sherlock Holmes speaks. Impart on me your wisdom, oh great one."

"I- um what exactly do you have against these two? You don't have to take them too, do you? Just let them go and take me with you."

Oh, no way in hell. Usually he refrained from cursing, even mentally, but his girlfriend literally drove him crazy sometimes. He was going to have a full head of grey hair before he turned 20 if this kept up. One day she was going to develop a sense of self preservation. "You've absolutely lost your mind if you think that there's any chance that I'd leave you right now." He gently brushed his fingers across her cheek and tilted her chin upward so that she was forced to make eye contact with him. "You're stuck with me, sorry."

"Toby, there's no reason that you have to suffer because of the mistakes that we made. You too, Caleb." The tension in her voice rose and fell like the waves in an unruly body of water. Because he was watching her so carefully he noticed her soft winces.

"Sorry Spencer, but I'm with Toby. Even if Hanna wasn't in trouble at the other end of this I wouldn't leave you alone." Toby appreciated the fact that he was willing to support him even though he was obviously scared.

"Guess you got your answer, Spencer," Heather laughed condescendingly as she directed the car onto a windy, wooded road. Wonderful, more opportunities to murder them with no one watching.

Spencer let out a quiet, frustrated groan and tucked her face in to Toby's side. "I just want you to be safe," she murmured into his jacket.

He shivered slightly as her hot breath blew against his chilled skin. "Right back at you, Spence. And I'm not going to leave you alone with her."

"Overprotective fool," she murmured and nuzzled her nose slightly into his shirt. God, he loved her so much. And he sure as shit wasn't going to let anyone else hurt her.

His forehead crinkled with renewed reluctance as they pulled up in front of a rickety old cabin. It looked like it would collapse at the next gust of wind. He bent over, his lips millimeters away from her ear. "Spence. Please don't do anything stupid, okay? I'll get us out of this, just focus on yourself and let me handle this."

"Toby-"

"No Spencer, please. You don't feel well, and you don't have to admit it. But don't strain yourself. We'll get out of this. You just need to breath." He pressed his lips underneath her ear and gave her a pleading stare. "Please, Spence."

Her eyes met his in a moment of tension. She let him have a terse nod and carefully pressed her lips to his neck. "Just be careful."

He was going to respond, but he was distracted her shivering. For someone as intelligent as Spencer was, she would forget her head if it wasn't attached to her neck. He slid off his jacket, being careful not to jostle her. Once the jacket had escaped his shoulders he gently wrapped it around her.

"Toby-"

"Nope, don't protest." He murmured and cut her off again. "Just accept it and be warm."

"I love you," she replied simply.

Before he had a chance to reply Heather slammed on the brakes in front of the cabin. Toby immediately tighten his arms to stop Spencer's lithe body from flying forward. "Everyone get out!"

"What are you going to do?" Caleb asked reluctantly, leaving his hand on the door.

"Just get out, damn it. And don't think about trying anything. Not only will you get lost in the woods, but I'll be very upset and take my anger out on Hanna."

Caleb's face visibly paled as he climbed out of the car. Toby turned back to Spencer. "Will you let me help you, please?"

She looked like she wanted to protest, but in the end she nodded and tightly grasped his arm. He gave her a relieved smile and grasped both of her hands, pulling her up and out of the car. She stumbled slightly, but masked it by leaning deeply into his side. "Spence, are you alright?"

He felt her nod, but that wasn't good enough. He groaned and propelled her toward the door directly behind Caleb. "Spencer."

"I'm fine, Toby. I promise. It's just my head." Her voice was nearly inaudible as she pressed her feverish forehead to his exposed bicep.

She was the queen of underwhelming reactions. Her voice was weak and it felt like she had a fever, but before he had a chance to call out her bull shit answer they cross the threshold into the cabin of flipping doom.

"Oh, look who it is."

At the smug British accent Spencer tightened her grip on him. He felt heart rate speed up, and he turned to take in the pinched face of Wren Kingston.

"Toby, calm down." Spencer murmured, wrapping both of her arms around his waist. "Please."

He cupped the back of her head, fisting her silky, brown locks. He closed his eyes and breathed in her soothing scent, calming himself. There would be time for knocking Wren's face in at a future date. Right now he had to take care of Spencer. And as much as he would like to punch the smug smile off of that man's face he wouldn't risk hurting Spencer for anything in the world.

"Looks like the woman's got you on a tight leash, carpenter." Wren pulled himself up off of the couch to lean against the wall.

He always said his profession like it was an insult, but he was actually proud of what he did. It was basically the worst insult.

"Shut the hell up, Wren."

Part of him wanted to laugh at Spencer's outburst, but a larger part of him knew how terrible of an idea that it was right now. She was about as threatening as a wet kitten, but their current adversaries were a bit more intimidating.

Wren straightened up, his smile fading a bit. "You know, you've turned in to a real bitch, Spencer."

"Okay that's enough. Let's stop this pissing contest before it really gets started." Heather flopped down on the couch, carefully pulling a gun out from behind the cushions.

"Wait, has that been there the whole time? I could have shot myself in the arse while I was watching Wheel of Fortune."

"Stop your pissy attitude, Wren." She sighed and propped her feet up on the ottoman in front of her. "Here's what we're going to do-"

"No, stop it. We've done everything that you've asked us to do. Where's Hanna?" Caleb glared at the girl, not even flinching at the sight of her gun. He couldn't blame him, but if Heather starting flinging bullets around they were all going to be in trouble. Every fiber of his being called for him to push Spencer behind him, but he knew that she wouldn't stand for that.

Heather slouched on the couch, lazily pointing the gun in Caleb's direction. "You see, I have a slight problem with that. I can't put all four of you in a room together. That seems like a categorically terrible idea on my part."

Oh not a chance in hell. Together they were fine, but separate they were vulnerable. "Well you can forget about separating us."

Heather continued talking like he hadn't spoken. "Well, I could send Spencer down to be with Hanna and put the two boys in the storm shelter-"

"No." He wasn't going to let that happen. He noted Caleb's agreeable nod. They weren't going to leave the girls defenseless.

"-or I could send Toby down with Hanna and Caleb and Spencer to the storm shelter." She mused, ignoring the outburst.

Well, that would certainly be preferable, but still not ideal. He pressed his lips together in a tight line, waiting for her to tell them what was happening.

"Just put them all in the basement, Heather. They aren't stupid enough to challenge someone with a gun," Wren sighed.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," he said with certainty. "They might if it were just any one of them, but they won't risk each other. Trust me, I've dealt with them enough over the years to know that for sure."

Toby sighed, not exactly happy about how well that Doctor Pervert knew them. Because he was absolutely correct. Were it just him he would do whatever it took to escape, but the fact that Spencer might get hurt because of his actions caused him to proceed with considerably more caution. He didn't want Caleb or Hanna to get hurt either. And he was certain that the others felt the same way that he did.

"Well, then you can be the one to take them down there and check on them," she tossed him the gun, causing everyone else in the room to flinch. This girl was insane.

Wren nodded in affirmation as he agilely caught the gun. "Come along," he gestured for them to follow him.

Toby glanced over Spencer's head to make eye contact with Caleb. He could practically feel his anxiety, and he was sure that the same anxiety was reflected back in his own eyes. There was no way that this was going to end well.

Caleb took the lead, walking directly behind Wren. "I swear to God, if Hanna is hurt at all-" He cut himself off, as the quickly arrived at a basement door. Wren wrenched open the heavy aluminum door, and the cold rushed out to meet them.

Toby shivered despite himself. Spencer pulled away slightly to look at him in concern. "Do you want your jacket back?"

"Not a chance," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Just relax, everything will be fine." He was making promises that he wasn't sure that he could keep, but Spencer needed to stay as calm as possible.

He sighed, tightening his grip around Spencer's waist, supporting most of her weight as they made their way down the rickety basement stairs. This was definitely not going to end well.

**Next Chapter:**

_"Would you please just sleep, Spencer?"_

_He was too selfless for his own good. "You need sleep too. I can stay awake for awhile."_

_"Spence-" His words were stolen as a loud creaking sounded from door at the top of the stairs. Toby released her, and once he was sure she stayed upright he strode off in the direction of the stairs._

_"Toby!" She gasped, with as much annoyance as she could muster in her whisper. She reached out for his wrist, but he moved too fast._

_She tilted to the side so she could see the stairs, and her heart plummeted when a black hoodie clad figure slid through the door. _


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys! Here's the next chapter :). I'm just going to go ahead and keep this pretty short. Read on and enjoy it! Let me know what you think about everything. LEAVE A REVIEW :) The next chapter is almost done, and I'll update when the story is at 110 reviews!**

Chapter 19

SPOV

Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy. All she knew was that she was dizzy as hell. She was so stupid for forgetting her medication. Her head felt like a carousel that was accidentally set to the highest setting, any sudden movements and she might lose whatever's in her stomach. The only thing that she was certain of right now was Toby's cool lips against her heated forehead and his capable hands supporting her weight and holding her upright. Everything else was just a blur of confusion.

"Spence, are you alright?" Toby asked her for probably the millionth time, his hands carefully kneading some of the tension out of her shoulders.

She couldn't be annoyed with him because with the way that she was feeling she must look absolutely awful. She had to shake this off. After this was over she could go back to the hospital if necessary, but right now her friends needed her. They needed her full focus. They will find a way out of this mess eventually. She trusted Toby with her life, and she knew that Caleb and Hanna would stop at nothing to get away. But they _needed _her. She refused to be the dead weight that they just carried around.

"Spencer?"

She realized that they stopped walking, and Toby had wrapped both of his arms around her. He was peering down, just trying to catch a glimpse of her eyes. "No, I don't think so. But I- I can fake it until we get out of this."

"What's wrong? Is it your head?" He brushed her hair off of her sweaty forehead. The concern in his fathomless, blue eyes was enough to bring her to her knees.

She nodded against his shoulder, allowing him to support all of her weight for a moment as she searched for her center of gravity. This helpless act was embarrassing enough. It would be made all the worse by collapsing as soon as Toby wasn't holding her anymore.

The soft murmuring from Caleb suggested that Hanna was down here too, and as shitty as she felt she needed to check on her best friend. This whole situation might have been avoided had she been a better friend and connected the dots sooner. So with a deep breath she squeezed her eyes shut and pulled herself away from the warm stability of Toby's chest.

She immediately felt the world tilting below her feet. She grabbed onto the wall until she felt stable enough to walk again. Toby groaned in protest and put a hand on the small of her back, which was acceptable. She didn't necessarily want to become personally acquainted with the hard, concrete floor.

Her eyes found Hanna and Caleb in a tangled embrace on the ground. Her heart hurt for her best friend. Caleb and Hanna showed their affection through witty banter and sarcastic jabs. They may kiss occasionally, but they were morally opposed to PDA. Now they were holding onto each other for dear life. She squatted down next to them, and waited for them to look at her. Toby's hand steadied her, but as soon as he was sure that she'd be able to support herself he carefully made his way up the rickety stairs and rammed into the door a few times. He was just going to tire himself out. That door seemed fairly solid.

"Spencer?"

A smile stretched across her face in spite of their dismal situation. "Han, are you alright?"

"I'm doing a fair amount better than you look," she replied immediately. Caleb let of her with one arm, but kept a hold of her with the other. Hanna took advantage of her new range of motion and wrapped her other arm around Spencer. "Are you alright Spence?"

"Never better," she laughed quietly.

She jumped slightly as she felt Toby's hands brush back against her arms. "Hanna, is there any way out of this? Are they vulnerable at all?"

"Wren brings down food a couple time a day, but I feel like he's going to do things differently now that there are four of us down there. I've almost knocked his head off a few times myself." She glanced at the door as though hoping Wren would come down right at that moment.

Caleb gave her a proud smile and kissed the side of her head. "Han-"

"No, shut up. Don't apologize again." She gave him a serious look like she was going to knock him out.

"I should have known." He insisted, brushing his hand across her cheek.

"Nope, I don't want to hear it. How were you supposed to know that I had a twin? You probably just thought I was being moody, and let's be fair, that wasn't a bad guess." Hanna sighed and carefully smacked him in the back of the head.

"I'm sorry too, Han," Spencer said softly. She broke away from the hug and leaned backward into Toby. He released her arms and wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders, pulling her into his chest.

"What the hell are you sorry?" Her voice was the perfect mix between genuinely confused and annoyed. "You're sitting there with a busted brain and from what Caleb said you were still the one who figured it out."

"It took me much too long," she sighed apologetically. She should have figured this out earlier. She was a terrible friend.

"Spencer, I'm not going to smack you upside the head because I don't want to be responsible for your brain exploding, but I'll reserve it for a future date."

And in contrast, Hanna was the best friend ever. "I'll let it go, but I'm still sorry. What happened, Han? How did she get a hold of you?"

"They did something to your car. And when I pulled over to fix it they grabbed me. I woke up in this stupid basement a few hours later." She turned her face into Caleb's side and closed her eyes.

She turned to Toby, briefly closing her eyes as her vision got blurry. "I- we need to figure out a way to get out of this."

"We aren't going to do anything, Spencer. You need to relax." He pulled her to her feet and led her to a corner of the room, some distance away from Hanna and Caleb. "You should try to sleep for awhile," he murmured, closely followed by a loud yawn.

"I'm not even tired, Toby. But you clearly are. Take a nap." She ran her shaky fingers along his jaw, hoping that for once he would think of himself first.

He gave her an unimpressed frown and began to slowly run his fingers through her hair. He was playing dirty. He knew that always made her tired. "You're a cheater, Cavanaugh."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he chuckled, pulling her closer. "I'm just trying to comfort my distressed girlfriend. Is that so wrong of me?"

She shivered as the cool fingers of his other hand began to purposely knead at the base of her neck. The rhythm of both of his hands working together was both comforting and relaxing at the same time. She knew that she should be scared. It was only logical, considering the fact that they were being held hostage in a damp, dark basement by their greatest adversary. But she just couldn't bring herself to be frightened. Not while she was in Toby's arms. She trusted him with her life, with everything. She never felt more safe than when she was with him.

"You're trying to cheat," she laughed, but tucked her face into the spot where his shoulder and his neck meet. How was he still so warm even after she stole his jacket? It was freezing in this stupid basement. "I don't want to sleep," she sighed.

"Why not?"

He pulled back to look at her and brushed her hair out of her face. She had also forgotten a ponytail. Worst day ever. She sighed and leaned into his hand, enjoying the way that his warmth radiated through her whole body. He was always so strong and stable. If he wasn't here she had no idea how she would react. "Because sleeping in the creepy, cold, dark basement with two people who would like nothing more than to murder us prancing above our heads makes for sweet dreams."

"I won't let them hurt you." She wasn't one to be comforted by bullshit platitudes, but she knew that he truly meant it. There would be some situations that he wouldn't be able to prevent, but he would do everything in his power to protect her.

But that was the problem. "That's what I'm worried about," she replied, deciding to try out the honesty thing.

"What are you talking about?"

"You'll rush in like superman trying to save me, and you won't give a second thought to yourself. I meant what I said in Brookhaven yesterday. Getting yourself hurt won't help me. It'll do the opposite." If he thought that she believed him when he said he wouldn't get hurt trying to save her then he was oblivious. He would try to save her without a second thought to himself, which meant that she had to stay awake so that she could do the same for him.

He groaned, but he didn't elaborate. Probably because there was nothing he could say. She was right, and they both knew it. "Would you please just sleep, Spencer?"

He was too selfless for his own good. "You need sleep too. I can stay awake for awhile."

"Spence-" His words were stolen as a loud creaking sounded from door at the top of the stairs. Toby released her, and once he was sure she stayed upright he strode off in the direction of the stairs.

"Toby!" She gasped, with as much annoyance as she could muster in her whisper. She reached out for his wrist, but he moved too fast. She was met with nothing but air.

She tilted to the side so she could see the stairs, and her heart plummeted when a black hoodie clad figure slid through the door. Damn it, Toby. She used the wall to pull herself up and carefully followed after him. He turned to her with authoritative eyes. "Spencer get back."

Oh what she wouldn't give to have the time and energy to give that chauvinistic glint in his eyes her best feminist rant. "Not a chance in hell," she murmured. She knew that he heard by the increased tension in his shoulders.

She jumped as a soft hand grabbed her arm. Her head whipped around to take in Hanna. "Stop, I'm not going to let him deal with this alone."

"What are you going to do, Spencer? Puke on whoever the hell that is? Let Caleb help him and stay back here with me." Hanna's hand tightened on her arm and Caleb breezed by them to stand behind Toby. "Who is that?"

"What the hell is this?" Toby's voice was panicked and confused. "That's not possible."

"Hanna we-"

Hanna nodded silently and began to walk the two of them over to the commotion. "What are you talking about?"

Toby glanced back over his shoulder before turning his eyes back on the intruder. "It is possible. And if you move out of my way I'll explain."

No. _No. _How the- what the hell? Were they just dropped in to some kind of twilight zone? This really wasn't possible.

"Oh Spencer, Hanna, you look like you've seen a ghost." The black hood slid down the intruder's head revealing a mass of blonde hair.

Alison DiLaurentis took a large step forward, only being stopped by Toby's outstretched arm. "Did you miss me?"

**Next Chapter:**

_"I- Toby I don't know if I can." She didn't want to be weak, but she knew that she needed to not overestimate her abilities either._

_"Hey," he murmured, putting a hand on either side of her face, and tilting it upward so that he could look into her eyes. "Everything will be fine. Just tell me if it's too much and we'll figure something out." _

_"I-" She started to talk, but it wasn't necessary. She didn't have a choice. "Alright."_


	20. Chapter 20

**So apparently I unlocked the code to getting a lot of reviews! It's bringing in Alison on a cliffy! Or maybe everyone's getting Spoby feels and looking for fanfiction now that they're filming season 5. Either way, you guys are the best. **

**I'm not going to bore you with a lot of words. I just want to say that the reviews from last chapter BLEW MY MIND, and I love you all!**

**Sidenote, if you read One More Day (if you don't go do ittt!), you guys are also incredible. I don't think I've ever gotten that many reviews that quickly, so you can expect the update to that SOON. I'm going to go work on it right now!**

**LOVE YOU! Review and let me know what you think! The next chapter will be up around the time this chapter gets 5 reviews!**

Chapter 20

SPOV

Alison's soft blonde hair bounced as her head whipped to the side to stare at Toby. "Let me by. We don't have a lot of time."

"For what, exactly? Says the girl that's back from the dead." Apparently Hanna's stint as a prisoner had done nothing to dull her sarcasm. If it weren't so confusing and disconcerting to see their friend whom they long believed to be dead standing and talking to them she may have laughed.

Appearing weak was the last thing that Spencer wanted, but she couldn't stand any longer. She leaned against the wall and carefully slid to the ground. She pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin against her knees, trying to find the stability that she so desperately sought after. A soft smile spread across her lips as Toby glanced between her and Alison a few times before dropping his arm and walking toward her. He was adorable. She didn't need his protection, she just needed to sit. But she wouldn't say no to him sharing some of his unyielding warmth.

He slid down to the ground next to her and pulled her securely against his side. He opened his mouth to obviously ask her whether she was okay or not, but she beat him to it. "I feel the same, Toby."

A soft puff of air slipped between his lips and through her hair. "We need to get you out of here."

Before she could respond Alison stepped forward and leaned against a support column. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. I'm here to help."

Her eyes closed on their own accord and she pressed her face into the warmth of Toby's arm. She wished that he would take his jacket back, but she knew that fighting with him was useless. He wouldn't take it back when she didn't have anything. She had no idea what was in store for them, but she knew that whatever it was she was going to have trouble doing it.

"What are you talking about? How are you even alive?" Hanna's voice was lacking her usual warmth as she threw her accusing words at their former best friend.

"I will explain everything, I promise. But if you want out of here we need to go. Heather went to the store, and Wren is passed out on the couch. She'll be back soon."

"How do we know that you aren't leading us in to a trap?" Spencer murmured, tilting her head to the side so that her words weren't muffled.

"I guess you don't. You can stay here if you want." Alison had been back for approximately five minutes and she was already getting on Spencer's nerves again. She was sick of half answers and bull shit responses, but she was also intelligent enough to see that this was truly their best option. Trap or not, at least this gave them a fighting chance.

"What's your plan?" This time Caleb spoke. He sounded significantly less annoyed than anyone else in the room, but that was likely because he had never known Alison. No matter why or how she was alive, Spencer couldn't help but feel slightly betrayed. It had been two years since she disappeared, which was plenty of opportunity to share the information that she was obviously in possession of.

"We leave in two groups and meet in the clearing south of the property. I will explain things before I leave again. It's a long walk, but you'll be able to find your way back to town eventually." Spencer's eyes were still closed, but she heard Alison's voice change and knew that she had stood up. "Are you guys coming or not?"

She could feel the eyes of her friends on her. She didn't have to have her eyes open to know that. "Yeah," she murmured and opened her eyes. It took a minute for everything to focus, and when it did she took in three pairs of dubious eyes. Hanna and Caleb had the courtesy to look away, but Toby didn't take his eyes off of her. "Spence-"

"We'll go first," Alison interrupted, replied gesturing to herself, Hanna, and Caleb. "You two follow behind us. Go up the stairs, turn left, and go out the back door. Be _very _quiet so that you don't wake Wren up."

"Where are we meeting?" Toby's hands tightened on her arms. His question was directed at Alison, but he didn't take his eyes off of her. She did her best to give him a reassuring smile, but she was pretty sure that it came across as a grimace. She just needed to rest. It wasn't as though she got shot or something. But rest wasn't an option right now. Shake it off, Spencer.

"There's a clearing about a half mile south of the cabin. It's far enough away that they won't hear us. Wait about five minutes before following." She felt Toby nod against her shoulder, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Alison. This felt like a set up.

As soon as Toby nodded Alison spun around and silently walked up the stairs with Caleb following just behind her. Hanna gave them a reluctant frown before following Caleb. "Be careful."

Once they were out the door Toby brushed her hair out of her face in a smooth motion. "Spence-"

"I- Toby I don't know if I can." She didn't want to be weak, but she knew that she needed to not overestimate her abilities either. This was going to be too much. Even keeping her eyes open was beginning to feel difficult. Walking a half mile through hilly terrain? That was just going to make everything worse.

"Hey," he murmured, putting a hand on either side of her face, and tilting it upward so that he could look into her eyes. "Everything will be fine. Just tell me if it's too much and we'll figure something out."

"I-" She started to talk, but it wasn't necessary. She didn't have a choice. "Alright."

"It's been about five minutes. Please tell me that you'll let me carry you?"

She didn't really want to, but she knew that if she insisted on walking she was more likely to stumble and wake up Wren then to get out of the cabin from hell unscathed. "At least out of the cabin. But then you should let me try to walk. I'm a little bit heavier than a backpack."

He snorted as he stood up, carefully pulling her with him. "A little bit heavier being the operative word." He swept one of his arms underneath her knees and gently cradled her to his chest, acting as though her weight was no burden to him at all. And to be fair, it probably wasn't. He was outrageously strong, which was incredibly irritating.

"You alright?"

She nodded against his shoulder, brushing her nose lightly along the length of his collarbone. His scent was calming her as they partook in one of the scariest moments of her life. She had been through a lot in the past two years. Being blackmailed, thinking that Toby was A and then dead, losing her friends, being accused of murder, but all of that seemed like a cakewalk compared to this. If Heather came back as they were escaping or before they got away there was no telling what she would do.

Toby carefully pushed the door open and slid into the dark hallway. She flinched as the floor creaked. Toby's tense breathing stopped as they both froze and listened. When they heard nothing Toby began walking again, carefully avoiding any loose floorboards. A quiet grumble sounded from the direction of the living room, but Toby paid it no mind as they slipped out the back door.

She thought that he would put her down as per their discussion in the basement, but instead he gathered her closer and took off in a sprint to the tree line. Once the house was no longer in sight he slowed down. "Toby," she breathed, barely bringing her voice to an audible level. It felt wrong. The quiet of the woods surrounded them, and their adversaries weren't but a few feet away.

"Just let me carry you, Spence." He knew her well enough to know what she was going to say, which was cute. He also had to know how she was going to reply to that.

She grasped his shirt with her fingers and pulled herself up. "No, let me try." She already dragged him into this mess, stole his only way of staying warm, and was causing him unnecessary worry with her stupid head injury. There was no way she was going to consent to his exhaustion when she very well may be able to walk herself.

"If you can't do it you have to tell me," he sighed as he lowered her to the ground. He allowed her feet to touch, but he kept his arms around her, still supporting a lot of her weight. Stupid, overprotective fool.

She didn't bother answering him, because unless she was dying there was no way she was going to admit defeat. She clung to his shirt and put one shaky foot forward, closely followed by the other. She could do this. She _would _do this. Spencer Hastings was not a burden to anyone. She helped, she didn't make things more difficult. She would do this on her own. Well, mostly on her own.

Her eyes remained trained on the ground, lest a stick or a rock destroy all of the progress that she had made. Toby's hands supported her, but she propelled herself forward. "You're doing great, Spence."

She nodded, not trusting herself to talk. She was certainly managing to walk fairly well, but the constant movement was making her stomach twist into knots. If she opened her mouth she might puke. But as she thought about it more she knew she had to talk to him while they're still alone. "This feels like she's setting us up."

"You think she would do that?"

"Absolutely," she murmured without hesitation. "She's had two years to help us and this is the moment she chooses? And how did she even find us? She knows something. She's up to something."

He paused, his hands rubbing up and down her jacketed arms. "You might be right, but I don't see another option."

Without warning Toby pulled her to a stop and glanced to their left, his eyes alert. She gave him a questioning look, but she almost immediately understood when she heard the quiet murmur of hushed voices. If that wasn't Hanna and Caleb she was going to lose her mind. How could they possibly have luck that bad?

"We need to keep moving," hissed the hushed voice of Alison. Go figure, she was still the same person she always was.

"We're not leaving Spencer and Toby, Alison. And you're not leaving until you explain things to us." Hanna's tone suggested that the other blonde was crazy for even thinking that. But maybe she wasn't, because any sane person would put their well-being first. But not them. After everything they had been through together they were a bit codependent.

Before she realized what was happening Toby carefully led her through the trees and brush until they were with the rest of the group. "We're here. No need to abandon us, Alison."

She rolled her eyes and brushed past them. "Whatever. Let's keep going. The clearing is just up here, and the faster I explain things the faster I can get the hell out of here."

Toby propelled them forward slowly, making sure that she wasn't moving too fast to miss something she could stumble over. His unending patience was causing her heart to swell with love for him. Just when she thought that she couldn't love him more he always proved her wrong.

"Spencer, are you seriously walking right now? You're a flipping rock star." Hanna attached her hand to Spencer's free hand and walk beside her and Toby. Her friends weren't going to let her fall, despite how stubborn she was being. She loved them. "Does anyone have service? We could call Aria or Em to come get us."

She didn't have a free hand to pull her phone out, but she knew that they wouldn't have any service. They were in the middle of the wilderness. Furthermore, Heather was psychotic, but she was intelligent enough to have taken their phones from them if there was any chance of them calling out for help. Caleb checked, always willing to indulge Hanna's schemes. "Nope, no service."

Without any warning they stepped through the trees and into a circular clearing. Alison turned back with blazing eyes. "Sit down and listen. Because I need to get out of here, and you guys need to keep moving."

"Part of that story better be an explanation as to how you're alive and who the hell is in your grave." That was her best friend. Hanna used to be so meek and quiet around Alison. She couldn't stop herself from smiling when she realized just how much Hanna had changed. No more insecure, Hefty Hanna. This girl knew what she wanted and how to get it.

"Okay, listen. This is all my fault, which is why I'm here helping you and not hiding out. I know I'm to blame for this, and I'm sorry for that." She sighed and sat down, leaning against the trunk of a tree. A freshly manicured hand ran through her styled hair. She looked pretty well put together for someone who was back from the dead.

Toby arms carefully pulled her down, much more smoothly than she would have gone down had she attempted it on her own. His arm pulled her securely against his side. She loved him, she really did.

Alison looked around for a moment as though expecting one of them to interrupt her, but none of them did. This discussion might give them some of the answers they needed. They weren't going to interrupt for anything. "Spencer, Hanna, you both know that my mom is on the board at Radley. One day after school I went to meet her there before going out to dinner. And I saw Heather, only I didn't know that it was Heather. I thought it was you, Han. This was before you lost the weight, so I remember going up to her and telling her how good she looked in a hospital gown."

Spencer glanced over at Hanna and took in the annoyed, pinched glare on her face. She didn't like being reminded of that time in her life. "Get on with it, Ali. What happened?"

Alison rolled her eyes. "We talked for awhile, and then I figured out who she was. She didn't know about you, Hanna. And I knew that you didn't know about her either. I loved it. I loved having this information over your heads. In the end I did share with Heather about you. I told her about all of us, and in retrospect it was a terrible idea. I know that you guys found out a lot on your own, but I don't know how much you know. Did you figure out that I was getting -A messages before I disappeared?"

"Yes," Hanna replied, keeping it simple.

"Okay, well it was Mona. I didn't know that though. I became friends with Heather, and I went back to visit her many times. She's the one who suggested that I run away. I- I trusted her. I believed her, but in the end she was just using me."

Spencer pulled her head up from Toby's shoulder to better observe Alison as she asked her what she needed to know. She was connecting some unwelcome dots, and was praying that she was wrong. But she didn't think that she was. Doctor Palmer pointing to Hanna's face in the picture, Mrs. Marin's warning, and now Ali's words? She wasn't wrong. "Why did you trust her, Ali? What did she tell you?"

Alison gave her a pitying stare. Which only confirmed what she was imagining. Her hand found Toby's, knowing that he was going to need support once this was out. Alison briefly closed her blue eyes, steeling herself to say what she needed to say. "She- she told me something bad that she did. And- I just- Toby, I'm sorry for not coming forward as soon as she told me."

Toby's hand tightened around hers. He obviously had figured it out as well. She sucked in a deep breath and pressed her lips to the side of his neck, hoping to keep him calm, but knowing that it wouldn't work.

Alison continued, her words coming more quickly. She could obviously sense Toby's agitation as well. "Toby, apparently she was friends with your mom. They used to sneak up to the roof to talk at night. The people at Radley tried to stop them from associating with each other, but your mom never listened. She always insisted that Heather just needed someone to talk to. That she would get better if someone just listened to her. And apparently it worked for awhile. But one day Heather had a breakdown while they were on top of the roof. Your mom tried to comfort her, but Heather ended up fighting her, and she accidentally pushed her off. They covered it up and made it look like a suicide. Heather wasn't entirely sure why, but she suspected that it was because Mrs. Marin paid so much money to keep her there indefinitely."

Toby's stillness was concerning. Had she not been pulled so tightly against his side she might have been concerned that he was not breathing. But she relaxed slightly at his steady intake of break. She pulled her head back slightly to look at his expression.

His blank, vacant stare frightened her more than anything she had seen all night. Her persistent fingers traced his jawline and applied the gentlest of pressure so he knew that she wanted his attention. But she wouldn't make him look at her, not if he didn't want to. After what seemed like an eternity, but was in reality probably only a second or two, he looked down at her.

She met his eyes and traced a slow circular pattern on his cheek. "This doesn't change anything, okay? Nothing other than she was apparently a bit of a hero. Your mom was a rock star, Toby. She wanted to help someone that the rest of the world deemed unreachable. That's downright heroic in my book."

"Mama Cavanaugh is my new superhero," Hanna chimed in from behind them. "Seriously, I kind of wish I had the chance to meet her, Toby. She sounds all kinds of awesome."

Spencer nodded in agreement. That was a wish she had held even prior to Mona's revelation. She wished that she had the chance to meet the one decent parent that her kind, gentle boyfriend had possessed. He had to have learned to be who he was from someone, and it certainly didn't come from his father. "She was incredible. I didn't have to meet her to know that. When we get out of this mess we're going to go buy enough flowers to cover her grave. She's going to have the most beautiful grave in the cemetery if I have anything to say about it."

She could see the emotion swelling beneath the surface of his eyes, but before she could question his well-being he put a gentle hand around the back of her neck and pulled her closer to him. The tension in his muscles was at an all time high, and she felt him press his lips to her hair, hiding his face from sight. It took a minute, but dampness from his tears soaked the top of her head.

"Toby," she murmured, rubbing her hand up and down the bumps of his spine. She didn't know what to do other than to just hold him. This kind of revelation wasn't something that you moved on from fast.

"What else do you know, Alison?" Spencer peaked around Toby's neck and watched Caleb take his eyes off of them to continue their questioning of Alison.

"Like I said, when I disappeared I didn't know Mona was -A. And I didn't know there was someone else in my grave. I just had to go. I had to escape. So I stayed in New York for awhile. I used my fake ID, and I found a job working in a club. I came back to Rosewood a few times, just to see if it was safe for me to come back. I didn't hate the life I was living, but I would have rather been home. Each time I stopped by Radley to visit Heather. Every time I visited she asked me for more and more details about the four of you. I thought she was just trying to get to know her sister, but I was wrong."

If it had been anyone but Alison she would be calling bullshit on this elaborate tale, but everything Ali did was larger than life. This was a completely logical explanation when it came to her. When no one interrupted Alison immediately continued, her voice getting more low and more anxious. "The last time I visited I went into her room, but she wasn't there. I started to snoop, and I found pictures of you guys. There were rough drafts of -A texts, plans, and more. I found the invitation to Spencer's lodge party, and it had the word fire written next to it. I knew that nothing good was going to come out of whatever she was planning, so I hurried to the address on the invitation. As I arrived I realized that the building was on fire, and I heard screams. I was able to get the door open and pulled the four of you out. I was going to go back to look for you, Spencer, but I saw you come out of the clearing, so I ducked away into the treeline. It was right then that I realized what Heather had done, what I had done. It was my fault. I made her aware of you guys, and I made her jealous that she couldn't have you. She must have met Mona when she was in Radley or something. That I don't know the answer to. You'll have to talk to Mona."

There were a lot of holes in her story. Why did no one in New York recognize her? Her story was very well documented and in the media. Why would Mona have told Heather anything? How did she find the lodge so quickly? Since when did Alison do anything for someone else? But there wasn't time to question her so extensively. And to be honest, she was much more concerned with Toby.

His grip on her head had slacked so she tilted her head backward to take in his face. "Are you alright, Toby?"

"Hmm?" He looked down at her and gave her a very forced and very fake smile.

"So I'll take that as a no." Her dizziness and nausea were irrelevant. He needed her right now, and she would do whatever it took to help him. "What can I do?"

Understanding flashed in the back of his eyes. "I- I'm fine Spencer. It's not like it's new information, it just sucks to have it confirmed."

As much as she wanted to get him to talk she knew that's not what he needed. "Okay, but let me know if I can help at all, alright?"

The shivering the arms he had wrapped around her was more pronounced. She wasn't sure if it was because of his anger or because of the cold. "Can I convince you to take back your coat yet?"

"Never going to happen," he replied without hesitation. Damn it. She was hoping that she'd be able to sneak it on him in the midst of his distraction.

"I need to leave," Alison said with a bit more strength in her voice than before. "My car is in the opposite direction than you need to go. Just keep going south and you should run into the road. You can either walk back into Rosewood or you can call for help."

"Ali," Spencer replied, looking her into the eyes for the first time. "Thank you."

Something weird flashed through the light blue. She gave Spencer a tight smile and turned on her heel and ran back into the shadows. Spencer stared after her, her concern growing. There was something wrong. She had believed her right until that moment. What had just happened?

"Spence, what is it?"

She took her eyes off of the trees and turned back to her friends. "I think we need to keep moving."

Alison's POV

Damn it. She wasn't expecting them to be grateful. She was expecting them to be angry with her. Their anger she could deal with. It wasn't as if that were anything new. It was the gratitude that threw her. Especially when it came from Spencer.

She could hear the yelling before she even saw the cabin. She had been hoping that Heather would be home. She didn't know where her loyalties were. Was she loyal to her old friends? The ones who practically celebrated when she was gone, and who didn't appreciate her when she was with them? Was she loyal to Heather? The girl who appreciated her company, but used the information that she gave her against her? She didn't know, but what she did know that this was the best way to hedge all of her bets. She let the other four go and gave them a fighting chance. And now she would do the same for Heather.

She didn't have to knock. As soon as she walked up to the front door it was flung open. Heather leaned against the frame her eyes wide with shock. "Ali? Girl, please tell me that you didn't have anything to do with this."

"I don't want to answer that," she responded immediately, a smirk playing at her lips. This is why she liked Heather. She was her equal in every way. "But what I can tell you is that I may or may not have seen four ragged looking individuals headed that way." She laughed and gestured the way she came with her head.

She watched the smile grow on Heather's face. This was going to be fun. And by the time that either Heather caught them or they escaped Alison would be long gone. This was a win win situation for her. She loved her life.

**Next Chapter:**

_Spencer stopped walking, which caused Toby to stop as well. She didn't know why she stopped, just that something didn't feel right._

_"Spence?"_

_She shook her head, not knowing how to respond to the question that was going to spill from his lips. Something was wrong, but she didn't know what. _

_A crack sounded to their right causing them both to jump. Caleb whipped around from a few feet ahead of them. "What the hell was that?"_


	21. Chapter 21

**Haha okay so sorry that the preview for this chapter isn't 100% accurate. But halfway through I decided that this chapter was better told from Toby's perspective. I was going to have them lay down in the woods and take a nice little nap, but then I was like nah. We need the action back. This is short, but I just love giving you guys cliffies. Sorry, not sorry. The next chapter is almost done, because it was originally supposed to be a part of this. But I decided to be a jerk and leave you with an awful-awesome cliffy. So enjoy. AND REVIEW. Especially if you want to know what happens!**

**I should tell you that the small Spencer part at the end was unplanned, so yeah. It could have been worse hahaha.**

Chapter 21

TPOV

_"I think we should keep moving."_

The tension in her voice stressed him out like nothing else had. Usually she was calm and collected, but something had her spooked. Granted, they had been through more than enough lately. Any normal person would curl up in a ball and cry. But that wasn't Spencer. She was headstrong, and she wouldn't break down until they were out of danger.

"What is it, Spence?" Hanna posed the question in his mind before he could collect his thoughts to a point that he could voice it for himself.

"I- I just don't know. Something's wrong." Worry was etched across her face as she grabbed Toby's arm to use as support to haul herself upward. He rolled his eyes, standing up and easily bringing her with him.

It was cold. It was much too cold for them to be out. Pennsylvania in the heart of December didn't make for a good nature hike. Moving wasn't helping matters. They were far enough away from the house that they should be able to risk a fire without Heather seeing it. And he would bet money that the genius tucked gently under his arm knew how to start a fire without matches.

He looked down at Spencer, his concern for his shivering girlfriend greatly outweighing the pain in his heart from the latest revelation regarding his mom. He loved his mom, but she was gone. There was no saving her. It was actually almost a relief to finally learn exactly what had happened to her. But Spencer was still here, and he could do something about her well-being. He wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"Toby, you have that angry, I'm going to kick some ass look on your face. What's up?" Hanna turned around to look at him.

He immediately wanted to groan, because he knew that would catch Spencer's attention. Sure enough, she stopped walking and pulled away to look at him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He could hear the lie in his own voice, but apparently Spencer decided to let it go. And he didn't blame her. It was freezing. Having her pressed against his side was helping him as much as it was helping her. It was taking a lot of willpower to suppress his shaking. He didn't want to fight with Spencer. If she knew how cold he was she would try to give him his coat back again. There was no chance in hell he'd take it and just watch her shake. He would much rather take the cold than watch her suffer.

"Did you guys believe Alison?" Spencer murmured suddenly from her spot under his arm. He liked being connected to her like this. In the past few weeks he had almost lost her more times than he could count. First he let her believe that he never loved her and that he was working for Mona. Then he stupidly decided it was better for her if he allowed her to believe that he was dead. And then Wren almost killed her right as he got her back.

But with her tucked into his side he could feel her words vibrating through him. He could feel the rise and fall of her shoulders to the tempo of her labored breathing. He could feel the steady beating of her heart. He knew she was alive. He knew that she was safe. He knew that nothing would ever hurt her while she was in his arms.

"I think so. Why, did you not?" Hanna fell back from Caleb to walk in step with the two of them.

"I did at first. Her story just seemed so like her. But-" She trailed off as she stumbled over a root. His arms reflexively tightened around her. He wouldn't let her fall.

She smiled gratefully up at him before turning back to Hanna. "But as she was leaving she got this weird look in her eyes. Almost as though she were feeling guilty. I don't know what she'd have to feel guilty about unless she were lying to us. And if she's lying it has to be because she's helping Heather."

Sometimes her brain scared him a little bit. He didn't know if she was right or not, but he knew that doubting Spencer never led to anything good. "Then we'll keep moving," he replied to her concerns, only scarcely avoiding chattering his teeth. Hanna nodded in agreement and pressed on to catch up with Caleb, who was doing his best to clear the path for them.

"Toby, you have to be cold," she sighed, as though reading his mind.

"Don't even say it," he replied immediately. She was too stubborn. Nine times out of ten he found it to be kind of cute. But right now he was ready to pull his hair out. Just accept the warmth and move on, Spencer.

"You're going to get pneumonia and then I'm going to feel like shit."

She wasn't one to curse, so he took her concern seriously, but not seriously enough that he was going to take the jacket back. "You already have a concussion, Spence. You don't need to be sick on top of that. Besides, I'm not even that cold."

"Sometimes I think the two of you show your affection for each other by trying to out dramatic whatever the last person said. "Oh you're cold, you'll get sick, but YOU have a concussion. I wonder what Spencer's next words would have been." Hanna laughed and turned to Caleb with an expectant smile; like she had just discovered the world's biggest secret.

"I was going to tell him that if he collapsed from exhaustion or turned into a human popsicle that I'd probably end up dying or turning into an equally cold popsicle, because I'm not sure that I'm capable of walking completely on my own right now," she said dramatically in one big jumble of words.

"Spence," he groaned. He was going to elaborate, but she froze in his arms. One of her icy hands rested gently on his chest as though to stop him, clearly not noticing that he was already still.

"What is it?" He asked her quietly, her tension causing him undo stress. What had caused her demeanor to change so suddenly? Something was wrong.

"Did you not hear that?" She turned back to look at him, her eyes as alert as he had seen them in quite some time. They weren't clouded over in a haze of pain and nausea. They weren't drooping in exhaustion. They were alert, and they were terrified.

Just as he was about to ask her what she had heard, a sharp crack sounded somewhere off in the woods. He had heard it that time. And he wasn't the only one. Caleb whipped around, his head turned in the direction of the noise. "What the hell was that?"

Toby glanced down at Spencer reluctantly, knowing she wasn't going to like this, but also knowing with certainty that it was necessary. "Go wait with Hanna and Caleb, alright? I'm going to go check it out."

"So you can be murdered by Heather, Wren, or a wild animal? Yes, Toby. That's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to go run off and hide like a little girl while you risk your life for me **_again_**."

While her high levels of sarcasm certainly indicated that she was at least feeling well enough to sass him, he didn't have time for this right now. "Someone needs to check it out, and I'm _not _taking you with me."

"Toby, damn it-"

He tuned her out and glanced over his shoulder at Caleb. Their eyes met in a moment of understanding. Caleb took a few silent steps forward and grabbed onto Spencer's upper arm. When Toby was sure that he had a hold of her he easily broke away from her death grip on his shirt. He tossed her a remorseful look before ducking into the trees, quickly losing sight of his friends among the foliage.

Spencer's quiet protests hurt his heart for a moment, but they quickly faded away as he strode deeper into the woods. Spencer was distraught, but she was too smart to scream and give away their exact position. That crack was not a natural noise. Someone or something made it. He could handle an animal, but if it was Heather or Wren he was going to have to figure something out.

"Well, look at what we've got here."

He spun around immediately, his heart dropping when he saw Heather with a handgun draped lazily in her hand. She smirked at him and looked over his shoulder. "Now, where are the other three?"

"Other three?" He played dumb, knowing it was only going to piss her off. But hopefully it gave the others a chance to escape.

"Don't play stupid, Toby. Where are they?"

His eyes traveled down to the gun, carefully watching the tension in her fingers. While he didn't necessarily want to get shot, it was a small price to pay if it allowed the other three to get away. He recognized the hypocrisy in that line of thinking, because he had given Spencer a multitude of lectures on the importance of self-preservation. But that was inconsequential right now.

Spencer had taken the brunt of the pain for much too long. She held the weight of the world on her shoulders when it came to her friends. She was the natural leader in the bunch, and she unnecessarily took it upon herself to ensure the safety of the girls that were as good as her sisters. She felt as though she had to be perfect to please her distant parents and to be equal to the high standards that Melissa had set. She took the brunt of the investigative tasks, knowing that with just a little time and effort she could solve this whole -A game. And she had.

But enough was enough. He certainly wasn't going to sell her out, or Caleb and Hanna for that matter. Caleb would make sure that they got out of the woods, and that was the most important thing. "I have no idea. We got separated as we were leaving the cabin. They could be back to Rosewood by now."

Her hands tightened around the stalk of the gun, lifting it slightly. "One thing I learned when I was in Radley was that love causes people to do stupid things. I have nothing against you, Toby. I actually should spare your life, considering the pain that I caused your family. Your mom- she was the one person that was ever there for me without condition or hesitation. But I _will _shoot you. I've waited too long, worked too hard for this."

He noticed that her feet were dancing at the edge of a small ledge. Sometimes he forgot how hilly the rest of Pennsylvania was since Rosewood was located in a flat valley. Maybe he could distract her long enough that he could push her off of it? He didn't know how steep it was, but it would at least give him time to escape. They were too close together right now. Assuming the girl had any kind of aim should could shoot him with no problem.

"Listen, my mom- She wouldn't blame you for what you did. She wanted to help you. That's the kind of person that she was." It was literally causing him physical pain to say that, but he knew that if he was going to get out of this he needed to keep her talking.

"No. We're not going to play that game. Tell me where they are or you're going to be the first to fall." The gun was higher now, pointing at his leg.

He closed his eyes, not really wanting to see this happen. "Then shoot me, because I'm not going to let you hurt the only people that I have left in the world."

An amused snort and a click from the gun as she turned off the safety was all that he heard. "So be it th-"

Her words were cut off by a grunt and a thump. His eyes snapped open as the gun exploded into the quiet night, missing him by a lot. His forehead wrinkled in confusion and concern as Heather and the black blur that slammed into her tumbled down the side of the hill. What the hell was that?

His feet carefully dodged any roots and rocks, stopping only to slide the discarded gun into his hand. He peered over the edge, and his heart stopped at the sight below him. Damn it Spencer. _Damn it._

The hill wasn't that steep, but in her condition he didn't know what kind of damage it could cause. He didn't know how she got away from Caleb. He didn't know why she thought that it was a good idea to ram into Heather. All he knew was that he had to get to her, and he had to do it right now.

SPOV

"Toby! Damn it, Toby, I swear to God-" She didn't even know what she was saying, but judging by the half amused look on Hanna's face it was colorful. But she didn't care. Damn it, she loved Toby more than anything in the world, but why did he always have to be so self-sacrificing.

"Caleb, I swear to God if you don't let me go I'll make you regret it." Emotions passed through his face at rapid fire speed. All three of them knew that this had to be Heather. Call it instinct, intuition, common sense, whatever. But it was true. Toby was his friend too, and he was torn between following his wishes and doing whatever he could to help him.

"Spencer, I- he wouldn't want you to follow him." His voice didn't hold a lot of authority behind it. It was almost as though he were trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince her.

"No, he wouldn't. But he would follow any single one of us, because that's the kind of person he is. I'm _**not** _going to leave him out there alone to face whatever that demented bitch has planned." She would give him one more chance to change his mind before she did something drastic. Something she'd have to apologize for later, but was totally worth it.

"I- damn it, Spencer I can't." This stress was turning four semi-classy teenagers into the kind of people who curse at everything. Unimportant.

She gave him an apologetic look before twisting her arm away and lifting her knee fast to hit him hard between the legs. He dropped to the ground with a grunt. "Sorry. Sorry, I'm sorry." She muttered incoherently as she turned away and ran into the trees in the direction that Toby had just gone. She had to find him, and she had to do it before any one else did.

"Spencer!"

She could hear Hanna quickly approaching her, but she wasn't about to stop. Running through the woods with a head injury was about the worst idea she ever had. The ground was tilting upward like some kind of mirrored fun house, and the trees were dancing around the edges of her vision. But that didn't matter. Nothing mattered but finding Toby.

"No, we're not playing that game. Tell me where they are or you'll be the first to fall."

The words came just in time, because she had been about to run right into their conversation. She whipped around, pressing her back to a large oak tree. She used that brief moment to regain her center of balance and to catch her breath. Hanna silently slid next to her, standing close to not give away their position.

"Then shoot me, because I'm not going to let you hurt the only people that I have left in the world."

If she hadn't known Toby so well she might have thought that he was perfectly at ease, but the subtle quiver in his words told her otherwise. He was scared.

He was impossibly brave, and he was being impossibly stupid right now. All she knew, all she cared about right now, was ending this. If she could only buy him some time they could get the gun off of her. Before she or Hanna even realized what she was doing she slid around their hiding place and ran full force into the clearing. It didn't matter that she felt like she was going to puke. It didn't matter that her vision was getting spotty and it felt like she was going to pass out. All that mattered was saving her impossibly loyal, selfless, incredible boyfriend the pain of being shot.

Heather was speaking, but she didn't understand what she was saying. Just before their bodies collided the familiar light blue of her eyes looked at her and she saw genuine fear. It only lasted a split second, but it felt like an eternity. The collision of their respective bodies knocked all the air out of her lungs, but she retained enough coherence to push the gun out of Heather's outstretched hand. Hopefully either Toby or Hanna would have enough sense to grab it.

Rolling, spinning, it felt like the earth was tilting on its axis. It felt like she was never going to stop. She didn't know where Heather went. She didn't even know what way was up and what way was down. Everything was a confusing mess.

Her body came into an abrupt halt as she ran into something hard, and her vision slowly blacked out as she lost consciousness.


	22. Chapter 22

**You should thank the gods above that I've had a touch of insomnia tonight. Sleep is not coming to me, so I thought I'd be the nicest fanfic author ever and bust out this chapter before FINALLY falling asleep! And it worked because I'm getting a little tired now.**

**OKAY, so if ANYONE reviews this chapter they'll officially make this story my most reviewed story! WOO! Love you all! And as a slight reward for that, I'll PM the first person who reviews. And they can ask me any question about this story that they want. If it won't be a life destroying spoiler I will answer it! Small spoilers are okay. And if this chapter gets 10 reviews like the last two have I will PM a second random person for the same thing. Sounds good? so REVIEW!**

**Also, I got a guest review asking me if I'll ever consider writing a sequel to this or my earlier story More Than Words. Since I can respond to your review I shall do it here! I THINK that I told all the story there was to tell for More Than Words, but never say never. I would consider writing a sequel to this story or that one if I have a story to tell. I won't write without a plan! So I guess my answer is maybe!**

Chapter 22

TPOV

The cold wind hit his exposed arms in a numbing sting as he stumbled his way down the hill to get to the only thing that mattered. What was she thinking? Damn it Spencer. It was just like her to inconceivably brave and selfless when it came to protecting the people that she cared about, but it nearly always was at her own expense. Did she not remember that she was still recovering? _Damn it._

He didn't know where Heather was. He didn't know where Hanna and Caleb where. All he was aware of was the panic bubbling up in his stomach at the sight of his unmoving girlfriend. Almost there. He was almost there.

The gun remained lightly clasped in his hands. As an afterthought he absentmindedly flipped the safety back on. The last thing they needed was for someone to accidentally get shot. He would like to put the gun down all together, but he still didn't know where Heather was. It wasn't worth the risk.

As he came up on Spencer his heart dropped at the sight of her still body and her closed eyes. From a distance he could convince himself that she was simply resting or trying to regain some semblance of balance. But now he knew for certain that she was unconscious. "Spencer," he breathed as he dropped to his knees next to her prone figure.

"Spencer, you have to wake up." He internally debated his options, wishing that he knew more about medicine. Had she hit her head again? That meant that he shouldn't move her, right? But if they stayed here they risked further injury. He brushed his fingers over her cheek, relaxing slightly at the warmth he felt below his finger tips. That was a good sign.

"Spencer, please." His eyes began to water, and he wasn't sure whether it was from the sheer emotional distress that this night had forced all of them through or because of the wind. He blinked a few times to try to clear his vision before throwing caution to the wind and wrapping both arms around Spencer's waist. He carefully pulled her to a sitting position and brushed her hair out of her eyes. One of his hands stayed on her waist and the other supported her head. "I swear to God, Spencer. I swear if you don't wake up I'm going to-"

"Mmmm," she mumbled something incoherent and nuzzled her cheek into the warmth of his hand.

"Oh thank God." A groan didn't mean there were no new issues, but she was alive. She was alive, and she was waking up. This was something that he could work with.

"That's it. That's it, baby. Just open your eyes." The panic was blossoming, and if he didn't see the deep, expressive brown of her eyes soon he was going to dissolve into a hysterical mess. "Spencer," he repeated. The growing panic was evident in his voice.

"Toby," an equally panicked voice muttered from behind him. It wasn't the voice that he wanted to hear, but at least Hanna was alright.

"What happened?" He questioned her quietly, never taking his eyes off of Spencer.

"She kneed Caleb in the nuts and ran off into the woods before I could catch her. For a girl with a busted head she runs really fast," she huffed as she came up next to him and dropped to a sitting position. "I caught up to her right outside of your conversation with my psycho sister, and right as it looked like she was going to shoot you Spencer popped up and ran out like a bat out of hell and tackled the bitch before I could stop her. Is she alright?"

"I'm fine," Spencer groaned. She grabbed the arm supporting her head and dug her fingers into her arm, trying to pull herself the rest of the way up. His eyes immediately were back on Spencer's face checking for any signs of further injury. His hand moved from the back of her neck her chin, tilting her chin upward to get a better view.

"Toby," she murmured, lifting one of her hands and placing it on top of his hand. "I'm fine, I promise."

"You were unconscious, Spencer," he said simply, leaving no room for argument. The hysteria had died down, but he was still terrified that she had further injured herself.

"Toby, I'm fine," she repeated herself, her voice stronger than it had been. She laced her fingers with his and pulled his hand away from her face and into her lap. "I promise, I'm fine. I didn't hit my head. It was from the running and the spinning, I swear."

He hadn't taken his eyes off of her, but when he saw no new signs of a head injury, no blood, and no new bruises he relaxed marginally. "Why?"

"Why what?" She asked him, her voice still much weaker than he would have liked. "Why did I tackle that bitch to stop you from getting shot? Is that a real question?"

Well her sarcasm was fully intact. Positive sign. "Spence-"

"No, you don't get to tell me I was wrong to do that. Because you would have done the exact same thing, and if you say you wouldn't have you are just lying through your teeth."

She was right. He would have. He actually might have done worse. But he wasn't hurt already. As well as he knew Spencer he knew that if he continued down this path it would just turn into an argument that he didn't want to have right now. He already almost caused her to injure herself further. He certainly wasn't going to heighten her agitation in any other way. "Thank you." He wished she hadn't had to have done it, but he was being sincere in his thanks. Without her impulsive actions he might have been seriously injured or even dead. Not exactly the best way to end this night from hell.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she threw her body forward and wrapped her arms around his neck in an uncharacteristic show of emotion. Not that he blamed her. He wished that she would always react like that. His arms immediately wound around her waist, and he buried his face in the pillow of her soft hair. How was it that she still smelled good after the night that they've had? "It's alright. You're alright, I've got you."

"I just- she might have..." Spencer trailed off, unable to continue.

His heart went out to her, because he knew exactly how she was feeling. He had nearly lost her more times than he cared to count, and it inspired such intense feelings of grief that it was nearly indescribable. He didn't want to live in a world without her. It wasn't a far stretch to believe that she felt the same way about him. "I know. I know, but I'm here and I'm fine."

"I hate to be a party pooper and break up your cutesy little moment, but do you think you're alright to move Spence? We really need to get out of here before Heather comes back with the flipping Spanish Armada."

He felt as Spencer half laughed, half sobbed into the side of his neck and pulled away. "I feel a little shakier than before, but that's about it. Let's get out of here before these magical flying boats hunt us down."

"What, what?" Hanna stood up and looked down at them confused. "You know what, I don't want to know. I'm going to go find Caleb. We'll meet you two up top."

He didn't watch as Hanna walked away. He knew Heather was still out there, and that it was probably not a good idea for her to go off on her own, but he only had energy to fight with one of them. It was going to be hard enough to convince Spencer to let him carry her up the hill, and he knew that Caleb couldn't be far off. He wouldn't let anything happen to Hanna.

He stood up, releasing everything but Spencer's arms. Once he was on his feet he grasped her wrists and hauled her up to him, immediately wrapping his arms around her. She responded by burrowing her head in his chest and clinging to his shirt. "Are you sure that you're alright?"

"No, not really," she sighed. "I'm not talking physically. My head is second to this emotional torture. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"I know what you mean," he murmured into her hair, littering the crown of her head with soft, light kisses. "But we'll get out of this. I promise that whatever it takes we'll get home."

"And then how long until the next nightmare?" She sighed, her warm breath tickling his neck. "This is never going to end."

"Yes it will, Spencer. It will. We'll figure out a way to stop Heather, and then we'll be able to go on with our lives. We'll be able to be normal again."

"What's normal?" She asked him with a bit of humor in her voice.

"Well for starters normal means not wondering around in the woods when it's freezing." He suddenly remembered how cold it was, and it took everything in him to not shiver. But Spencer looked up at him like she knew exactly what he was concealing. "Will you let me help you up the hill? What about a piggy back ride?"

She looked as though she wanted nothing more than to protest, but she nodded reluctantly. Which was good, because he wasn't going to let her do it. He would have thrown her over his shoulder and carried her up the steep slope like the caveman she claimed that he was sometimes. He would have had to deal with her angry words later, but it would have been worth it. However, her agreement made it significantly easier. He squatted down and waited until he felt her thin arms wrapped securely around his shoulders and stood up. "You alright?"

"I'm fine. Just climb this stupid mountain so we can get out of here."

She didn't have to tell him twice. He carefully maneuvered his way up the hill, avoiding roots, rocks, and any other tripping hazards. Falling wasn't an option. Not with the most precious cargo in the world on his back.

"Spencer, I swear to God if I can't have kids after that I'll... well I don't know what, but it'll be drastic."

He glanced to the side, trying to hide his smirk at Caleb's annoyed words. Part of him was happy to know that Spencer could handle herself in a fight, although the back of his mind told him that Caleb probably wasn't holding her as tightly as a less friendly adversary would be. He squatted down so Spencer could slide off, knowing that's what he wanted; even though he would be more than willing to carry her as far as she needed him to.

"I'm sorry," she said with a poorly concealed laugh. Her words were sincere, but Caleb's sputtering rant made it hard to remain completely serious. "I'll go with Hanna to find the perfect sperm donor!" She offered up with a giggle.

He couldn't help but smile at the sound of her laugh. The world could be ending, and her laughter would still be a bright spot in his day. She was intact enough to show some degree of joy, and that was the most important thing in the world to him. As soon as he was on his feet she sidestepped toward him and leaned in to his warm embrace. His lips found her hair again, still needing as much contact as possible.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he waved dismissively. "Should we keep moving?"

No one was going to argue with that assessment. Toby tightened his grip on Spencer and they pressed onward. Before he was lax in his observation of the woods around them. But now that they lost Heather he knew that he had to be more vigilant. No one was going to sneak up on them. For a few hours they walked through the woods; his attention was split between carefully examining their surroundings and closely studying the neutral expression of his girlfriend. Her okay pretenses faded fast over the course of that time. She was still putting up a valiant effort, but it was getting more and more difficult for her to pass her stumbles off as a purposeful movement.

"Spencer-"

She shook her head, hiding her eyes from his view. "There's nothing to be done for it until we get out of here, Toby. There's no point in panicking over something when we literally have no control over it."

That was a far cry from insisting that she was alright. "Please, **please **let me carry you. Please." Maybe if she could see how worried he was she would acquiesce to his completely reasonable request.

"Fine," she sighed. He could feel the sweat on her forehead as she pressed her face against his neck. "But you have to let me down if you get tired."

Not a chance in hell, he thought only to himself. If she was agreeing to this she must feel terrible. Before she could chance her mind he leaned down and swept her legs out from her with one hand and used the other to support her back. She immediately responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and tucking her into the hallow of his collarbone. "Is this alright?" He asked her. He wasn't really sure how she was feeling, and the last thing that he wanted was to make it worse.

Before she had a chance to respond they were both distracted by a shout of victory from the two clearing the path in front of them.

"The road!"

"I have service!"

Hanna and Caleb spoke at the same moment, their eyes meeting in amusement. Hanna quickly pressed a button on her speed dial, and as soon as someone answered she walked ahead and over the guardrail. Her words were too quiet to distinguish, but he assumed that she was looking for some indication as to where they were.

"Thank God," Spencer murmured, the vibration of her words tickled his exposed skin.

"Are you alright?" He repeated for what felt like the millionth time in the past few hours.

"Not at all," she finally admitted truthfully. "I think I feel worse than I did when I first woke up."

While he approved of her truthful answer it did little for his frazzled nerves. All he wanted right now was to get her back to the hospital to get checked out. This time there was no leaving to recover fully at home. She would stay there until she was more healed than healing. And he wouldn't move from her bed side no matter how many times she tried to get him away. It was the only way to be sure that she stayed safe. "Just hang in there. Not too much longer and we'll be able to get you some help."

"I'm never worried when I'm with you," she replied tiredly, her head drooping down his shoulder.

"Should I be letting you fall asleep, Spence?" He asked her in a certain degree of desperation. God, he wished he knew how to help her. But he was pretty sure that she knew how to help herself, which is why he was questioning her at her first sign of exhaustion.

"Probably not," she admitted with a yawn. "But I don't know how much longer I can stay awake."

"Talk to me," he replied immediately. "Tell me a story."

"Once upon a time..." she began with a soft laugh.

"No, I'm serious," he told her as he ducked down to brush a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Tell me- tell me about the first time you knew you loved me." It was an awkward line of questioning because it kind of sounded like he was fishing for complements., but he wasn't going to ask her anything sad. She had enough stress in her life at the moment.

"At the festival," she replied with no hesitation.

That took him by surprise. "Really?"

"Yep," she murmured, pulling back slightly so that she could look at him. "It takes a lot for me to stand up to my family. I've always felt second best to Melissa, so most of the time I go along with what they want. I think part of me thought that maybe if I did what they wanted, if I was the person that they wanted me to be, that I'd somehow be more loved by them. So when we saw you outside the fun house I immediately wanted to go to you. But my mom told me to come with her. The old me would have listened without hesitation, but I just couldn't. She would make sure that I was okay, and that was it. I just- I don't know, I wanted you. We hadn't known each other all that long at that point, but even then you made me feel like I was worth something. And I needed that at that moment. But for me to turn away from my mom took a lot. I knew I loved you at that point, but I was just too scared to admit it."

When they fought, when she kept things from him, it hurt. It hurt like nothing else could, because he loved her so intensely and deeply. He just wanted them to be open to each other. But when she said things like that nothing else mattered. His heart was so overwhelmed with love for her in that moment that he felt as though it may burst from the heaviness of the emotion.

Her grip on his shirt and her voice were both much weaker than he would have liked, but the fact remained that they were alive, they were together, and their health could have been in much worse shape. Had he been shot in the woods he had no idea how they would have gotten them out. While he would not hesitate in taking Spencer's pain from her, or from shouldering the brunt of the pain to keep her safe, he had to admit that he had a much easier time getting her out than she would have had getting him out.

He carefully brushed her hair away from her cheek with the arm that was wrapped around her shoulders. "For me it wasn't much longer. It was when we were in your room right before your showdown with Ian. When you told me that you liked having me there because you liked having me there and not because of the statement that it made to your parents my heart twinged with something. But I didn't fully realize it until you called me your safe place to land. Spence- I still don't think you realize how much that meant to me. How much that means to me."

"It's true," she said quietly, pressing a kiss the the side of his neck. "You're the only one that can make me feel safe."

If they didn't stop talking like this he was going to dissolve into a puddle of emotions. But before he could suggest a new line of conversation he was distracted by the blinding light of car headlights coming around the bend in the road.

"Aria!" Hanna cheered. She waved her hands wildly, lest the car miss them and drive right on by.

It paused right in front of them, the window quickly rolling down. "What the _hell _happened to you guys? What didn't you call me?" The tiny brunettes eyes traveled from each person, her eyes taking an extra minute to linger on Spencer, still wrapped up in Toby's arms. "Get in!"

He carefully lowered Spencer to the ground, not allowing her to take on any of her own weight before ensuring that she would be able to handle it. He led her to the car, situating her in the seat directly behind Aria before sliding in next to her. Hanna climbed in after him, and Caleb took the front seat.

Aria's eyes met his in the rear view mirror. "Where are we going?"

"The hospital," Hanna supplied for him.

He shot her a thankful smile before turning his attention back to Spencer. The warmth of the car might have been the best thing that he had ever felt, but it seemed like it was having the opposite effect on Spencer. Her eyes were drooping as she fought to stay away. He gently nudged her shoulder and waited for her to look at him. What could he say to keep her talking? "Spence, what's the worst grade that you ever got before?"

Some of the exhaustion rapidly left her eyes as she narrowed them in annoyance. "This one time in 9th grade..."

He tuned out the rest of her story as he took a moment to smooth down her hair. They were safe, and as long as he could get her to the hospital in one piece that might last a bit long.

Heather's POV

She watched as the bitches found the road that they had been seeking for the past few hours since their skirmish together. She supposed that she could have stopped them, but what was the point? Playing cat and mouse was no fun if you killed off all the mice.

**Next Chapter:**

_Spencer watched in confusion as Hanna breezed back through the door to her room. "Code Red!"_

_"Hanna, what the hell is a code red?" She was confused, but also slightly amused. "I thought you were running down to the cafeteria for a coffee."_

_"I was, but then I ran in to Public Enemy Number 1 and-"_

_"Oh my God, Hanna stop talking like a bad 70s spy movie and just spit it out," she laughed. This girl was crazy, and she loved her for it._

_"Your mom is here."_


	23. Chapter 23

**Okay, a couple things.**

**FIRST YOU'RE BRILLIANT. The last chapter got the most reviews any of my chapters EVER have ever gotten. BRILLIANT. I love you all!**

**Second, this chapter, especially the end, may read as choppy. That was intentional, promise.**

**Third, I forgot that I promised I'd answer questions until right this second. So new deal, if you have questions about the story post them in your review. If you just leave me a question I'll ignore it. Add a little review in there. And I'll pick a couple to respond to :). No life ruining spoilers. Just tiny baby ones. If not that's cool too.**

**REVIEW BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL BEAUTIFUL AND BRILLIANT 3**

Chapter 23

SPOV

_Wind blew through her hair as she sprinted through the woods. The cold stung her exposed skin. She stumbled over an exposed root and fell hard to the ground, a black figure swooping over her._

She groaned and rolled over in the bed, her eyes falling on the sleeping figure of her boyfriend. These nightmares were getting out of hand, but just the sight of Toby asleep in the chair next her bed was enough to give her a sense of ease. No one could make her feel safe like Toby could.

She really wished he'd go back to his loft and relax, but she recognized that there was going to be no getting rid of him. Not after everything they had experienced last night. She thought back to the cold, the pain, the worry in his eyes as he carried her the rest of the way out of the woods, the all consuming panic she felt as she watched Heather raising the gun in- No she needed to stop. This line of thought wasn't going to do anything other than cause her to panic again. Nothing was clear, but what w_as _clear was the pain.

"Spence?"

She glanced over at Toby, who was rubbing the vestiges of sleep from his eyes. "You could have slept on the bed with me, you know." She laughed quietly. Her voice was still heavy with exhaustion. She just couldn't seem to shake the need for excessive amounts of sleep.

"I think your crazy nurse would have kicked me out."

Spencer couldn't help but smile at the thought of Helga, her petite, Scandinavian nurse. The woman talked tough, but she was a softy. "She would have heated you up some milk and tucked you in to bed. You're a little bit lovable, Cavanaugh. I can't imagine why people like you though."

She was feeling overly sassy today. She was confined to this bed for the next few days, but she felt fine. Well, mostly fine. Rest was all that she needed, but the doctors and nurses all agreed with Toby's over protective assessment that removing herself from the hospital again proved too great a risk for her long term health.

Toby rolled his eyes and unfolded his long, lean body from the small chair. "I think I'm willing to risk it now," he chucked and carefully climbed in to the bed with her. She was able to talk them out of an IV, thank God, so he didn't have much to avoid. But he was treating her like she was made of glass. She couldn't blame him, but she certainly didn't enjoy it.

He slid down next to her and gently wound his arms around her waist. "Are you going to hit me if I ask you if you're doing alright?"

"Undetermined," she muttered, leaning more heavily against him. She talked tough, but she was still moderately terrified. She almost lost him last night, and this physical contact was about the only thing keeping her sane.

His lips found their way to her hair and he pressed them carefully to the top of her head. She knew that he wanted an answer, "I'm fine, Toby. I promise if anything changes I'll tell you. I just wish I could get out of here."

"Heather's not going to just walk in to the hospital. Especially when Hanna's here too. It's safer for you here. At least until you're completely recovered." His voice was both apologetic and firm, but it change the fact that she felt trapped in a place that she didn't think she needed to be.

"Did someone say Hanna?" The blonde flounced into the room in her usually airy gait. She perched on the edge of Spencer's side of the bed with a smirk.

She was almost certain that this was Hanna, but Heather had caused the kind of situation where she was going to forever question the identity of her best friend. "When we were eight and at the lake what did you eat on a dare?"

Aria snorted as she walked into the room directly behind Hanna, clearly remembering that day. "I still can't believe you did that."

"A minnow! And it wasn't that bad except when it crunched." She innocently pulled her legs up underneath of her, and began to play with the edges of her hair. "So, I went to see my mom."

"What did she say?" Spencer grasped Toby's shirt for support at she struggled to sit up. Toby made a small huff of disapproval, but pulled her up in one fluid motion, regardless of his desires.

"She called Radley and gave them an abridge version. She also called the police. Everyone's out looking for Heather. They'll find her eventually, especially if she comes near us."

As good of news as that was she couldn't help but feel worried. Wouldn't this make her escalate?

"I need some coffee-nation." Hanna jumped up and gestured dramatically toward the door. "Aria, come with me. I don't want to go alone in case my deranged twin tries to kidnap me again."

"Sure. If I see two of you I can just point and scream. Or I can jump on her back. Either or."

Spencer could tell from his slack arms that Toby had fallen back asleep. Good. He worried too much about her, which definitely infringed upon his ability to adequately take care of himself. "Okay Han, two questions. First, what the hell is coffee-nation?"

"Coffee and caffeination combined into one convenient word," she stated matter-of-factly.

She shrugged and decided to not lecture Hanna on the absurdity and grammatical inaccuracy of her statement. "Okay, second question, where's Caleb?"

"I sent him home." She replied in a way that suggested that there was more to the story.

"And he went? Tell me your secrets, oh wise one. Because I would love to make this one leave," she laughed and gestured to Toby with her head. "But he's being a stupid, over protective fool."

"For good reason, Spence," Aria softly reminded her.

"I know, I just wish he would take care of himself in the process. I don't like to see him like this." She reached up and gently ran her fingers down Toby's prominent jaw line?

"Really? Because all I see is a guy who's so thrilled that his girlfriend is alive and mostly well, and because he loves her so much he wants to stay with her to make sure that she's safe. Let him take care of you, Spence. You might not need it, but it's clearly what he needs."

Sometimes Hanna gave off this ditzy exterior, but she was one of the most logical, level-headed people that Spencer had ever met. She had a simplistic way of looking at the world that caused her to easily see things that other people might miss. Without another word Hanna turned and walked out the door, pulling Aria along with her. Aria threw an apologetic smile over her shoulder just before Hanna dragged her around the corner.

As soon as her friends were gone she turned her attention back to Toby. Hanna was right, as much as she hated to admit it. If their situations were reversed she would refuse to leave Toby's side for any reason. Not because she thought that should could provide some kind of vital service that the nurses were unable to do, but because she wouldn't be able to bear the thought of leaving him when he was hospitalized. It would hurt too much.

Her soft fingers found their way to his jaw again, lightly running them down the bone in her feather-light touch. He was always so strong, so stable. Seeing him like this was such a stark contrast, but she loved the small, brief insight into his more vulnerable side. He had tossed her glimpses before. When she asked him to steal Jenna's phone, their first reunion after the Bell Tower incident, when she was lying to him and he didn't understand why, when he decided to take matters into his own hands and join the -A team.

But this vulnerability reminded her of what Hanna had said. When he was awake he was consistently tending to her; making sure that she had enough water, adjusting her pillows, calming her down with his soothing touch. But this side of him reminded her that he needed her as well. She slowly began to run her fingers through his soft hair, the appendages getting quickly lost in the surprising length.

Her eyes were reluctantly torn from the sleeping figure of her boyfriend. Spencer watched in confusion as Hanna breezed back through the door to her room. "Code Red!"

"Hanna, what the hell is a code red?" She was confused, but also slightly amused. "I thought you were running down to the cafeteria for a coffee."

"I was, but then I ran in to Public Enemy Number 1 and-"

"Oh my God, Hanna stop talking like a bad 70s spy movie and just spit it out," she laughed. This girl was crazy, and she loved her for it.

"Your mom is here."

"Excuse me?" Suddenly any amusement was gone. She was pissed. Unless she had a wonderful apology drafted for Toby she wanted nothing to do with the older woman that called herself her mother.

"I told Aria you'd be pissed! She's trying to delay her." Hanna glanced at Toby. "Do you want to get rid of him?"

"No, I don't care that she sees this. I'm just worried that she'll say something rude to Toby."

"Then kick her ass! Or let me do it. I have references!" She laughed with a cough that sounded a lot like Jenna.

"Spencer," her mother's voice quietly announced her entrance from the door.

Spencer just looked at her, wanting to wait to check her intentions before responding to her. She wasn't going to be all warm and fuzzy regardless, but she could insert a bit more warmth into her voice if she appeared to be remorseful for her actions the other day.

"Mrs. Marin called me and told me about Heather. I-"

She was already annoyed. It was almost ridiculous. She took a great deal of crap from her family, and she took it much better than she was taking this. But she had always been protective of Toby. Not just his physical safety, but also his emotional well-being and his reputation. She had already done more than enough damage in that regard for his entire life time. If she thought that he would let her confess her part in the Jenna Thing she would have done it a long time ago. "Unless you're here to apologize you can turn around and walk away."

Aria appeared over her mother's shoulder, her apology colored all over her face as she ducked into the room and stood next to Hanna. They should have flipped their roles. Hanna was a much better at keeping people busy. But if she had to guess she would assume that Hanna had insisted on telling her so she could use words like code red.

"I am. And I just wanted to check on you. It sounds like you had an incredibly difficult evening," she looked at her daughter with sincere eyes before dragging her gaze to Toby. "I always treated him so poorly, but it sounds like he's the only reason that you got out of there intact."

"He is. He always is. But I'm not going to wake him up, because I have a sneaking suspicion that he didn't sleep last night. So if you're serious about apologizing you'll have to wait."

"I'm awake," he murmured, his words tickling the side of her neck where his face was resting. He straightened up, but he still stayed largely attached to her. "But you don't have to apologize, Mrs. Hastings. It was a completely reasonable assumption under the circumstances."

She wanted to protest, but she knew that he needed to handle this on his own. He wouldn't want her to interfere.

Her mother sat down on the chair that Toby had vacated earlier this morning. "I don't want to just apologize for that, Toby. Although I owe you a massive apology for that whole situation. Spencer was right. I should have known, and even if I wasn't sure I should have pushed Detective Hollbrook to continue his investigation, because as my teenage daughter pointed out, everything he had against you was circumstantial."

"You were emotional and-" Toby began in the soothing, selfless way that only he could. From most people it would sound like they were just making excuses and placating the other person, but when it came to Toby you knew that he was being sincere. He really didn't blame her, even though he should.

"No, don't make excuses," her mother cut him off, sounding much more like Spencer than she cared to admit. "I was wrong, and I can see that now. But I also need to apologize to you for the way that I've treated you the entire time I've known you. I've always come from a very privileged background, and that has caused me to have some prejudices that I'm not proud of. I always expected Spencer to end up with someone of a similar background to our family, and when she brought you home I was concerned. Not just because you weren't wealthy, but also because of your background."

She needed to be very careful, because if she started insulting Toby she was going to lose it, and get in trouble with the doctors when she got agitated. Toby glanced down at her with a warning glance, as though he knew exactly what she was thinking. "It's not-"

She cut him off again, "No. But now? God now I'm so glad that Spencer has more sense than I do. Because you? You're all that I could have ever wanted for my daughter. You keep her safe. Mrs. Marin told me about what you did, and I have a strong feeling that this isn't the first time you've gone above and beyond to protect her. I just-" she paused as though unable to continue. "I just need to thank you. I talked to my husband, and he agrees. We're both sorry for the way we treated you."

"But you," she turned to Spencer, not giving Toby a chance to respond to her. But Spencer could tell from the tension in his arms that he was touched by her sentiment. "Why did you not tell me that -A was back? I could have helped you?"

Spencer threw an annoyed glare at Hanna who shrugged apologetically. "I didn't know she was going to blab to everyone."

"You should have told me. You all should have told your parents. We could have helped."

"How?" Spencer appreciated her mother's apology to Toby. It was more than she had been expecting. But this line of conversation was frustrating. They did the best that they could do. "Why? Had we told you about -A Heather would have targeted you. We did what we did to keep you safe."

"Spence, just breath," Toby said softly, but she could tell from the soft smile on her mother's face that she had overheard. Maybe this approval was going to be a reality. But as much as she wanted to further argue this point, she couldn't stay agitated with Toby arms around her and his hot breath blowing on her neck.

She opened her mouth to answer her mother and jumped slightly as her hospital door swung open. She expected to see Wren or Heather with guns blazing, but it was only Caleb. Spencer relaxed, but Hanna jumped to her feet, newly agitated. "What are you doing here?"

Caleb's confused eyes fell on their adult companion before turning to Hanna. "Did you really think I was going to leave you alone for long?" His tone was incredulous as he grabbed her hand and led her to the side for a quiet, murmured conversation. His voice was hushed, but she could definitely hear the irritated undertones of Hanna's.

"Spence, listen, I need to head out. I'll be back in a few hours, but I need to visit someone." By the way she said someone Spencer was sure that she was talking about Ezra. "I'll bring Em when I come back, alright?"

"Thanks for coming, Aria," she replied sincerely. She felt badly for keeping Emily and Aria out of everything, but it was safer for them, just like it was safer if their parents didn't know. "And thanks for rescuing us last night."

"Team Sparia, duh," were her last words as she slid through the partially ajar door.

"Spencer," her mother began, catching a hold of the lull in the conversation.

Spencer glanced up at her mom reluctantly. She appreciated her admittance that she was wrong, but the proof would come when her actions matched her words. She would see how she treated Toby when it wasn't quite as dire a situation.

"Spencer, I owe you an apology too." Well that was new. She didn't change her expression and just waited for her to continue. She sat down at the end of the bed on the opposite side of Toby and put her hand on her knee. It was all she could do not to lurch away, and she could tell from the dejected look on her mother's face that she noticed her tension. "I've been wildly unfair to you. I do respect you, both as an individual and as my daughter. And I'm so proud of the person that you've become. I'm sorry that it's taken me your entire life to get to this point. I'm sorry that I've been a terrible mother to you. You deserve better, but I promise that I'll try harder from now on."

Try as she might she couldn't avoid the tears welling up in her eyes. She knew that her mom loved her. That was never in question. She just sometimes wished that she showed it more. So this very vulnerable and public show of love was incredibly uncharacteristic. "Mom..."

Her mom suddenly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Spencer. Toby let go of her so that she could lean into her mother, but she grabbed a hold of his hand, not ready to let him go completely. She wrapped the other arm around her mom's waist and leaned her head against her shoulders. Spencer could feel as she took in a deep, shuddering breath and held her more tightly. "I love you, Spencer. And- and I think the four of you should get out of town for a while."

She pulled away to look in her eyes. "What?"

"I already talked to Mrs. Marin. Toby, would you need to get permission from your parents?" She looked at him questioningly.

He snorted and laced Spencer's fingers together with his own, only strengthening their hold on each other. "No, they wouldn't even notice that you were gone."

"My foster mom wouldn't care either," Caleb chimed in.

"Then it's settled," she declared, passing Spencer an envelope full of cash. "That's $1,000. That should be enough to get you by for a week or so."

"Where are we supposed to go?" Hanna asked in a genuinely curious voice. Spencer look back up from the envelope, seeking an answer to that question as well.

"I can't tell you that. You need to leave, and you need to not tell any one else where you're going."

"What about Aria and Emily?" She wouldn't leave without knowing that they'd be safe. They were connected for life, and those two girls were as important to her as any of the people in this room.

"It seems as though Heather has particularly decided to target you four. The police will watch after Aria and Emily, but we suspect that won't be enough in the case of the four of you. I know you just got readmitted, Spencer, but it might be best and safest if you leave now."

She closed her eyes to judge her sense of balance. She was pretty sure that could do it if it didn't involve anything like running or falling down flipping mountains, but she wasn't positive. Toby's hands brushed her hair out of her face and turned his eyes down on her. "Are you okay with that, Spence?"

That was his way of asking her if she was alright and she knew it. But he didn't want to ask her again because he didn't want her to get angry with him. It was cute. He was truly the most adorable person in the world. "I already told you that I don't think that I even need to be here to begin with." She sighed and scooted back. She still didn't feel wonderful, but she felt her best when she was wrapped up in Toby's arms.

It was like he read her mind. His arms wound their way around her thin frame and pulled her tightly to his side. His chin rested on top of her head, and she could occasionally feel his lips pressing against her hair. "You have to be careful."

She knew how he felt. If their situations were reversed he would rather face an army of Heathers than take him out of the hospital early. But she wasn't going to risk her friends so that she could stay comfortable in the hospital. If this was what was best for everyone than she would suck it up because she knew that none of them would leave without her. "I will, I promise."

"That settles it then. You will leave in the morning. I'll have your car in the parking lot, Spencer." Her mom stood up and walked out the door without another word. The apathetic reply didn't bother her. The woman had already shown uncharacteristic levels of emotion. There was only so much progress that one could make in a day. She apologized to Toby, which was the most important thing. She also appreciated the heart felt apology that she herself had been offered.

"Spence?"

She looked up at Toby inquisitively. He smiled softly at her and dropped his lips to meet hers in a careful kiss. "I love you so much."

The familiar words caused a similar smile to appear on her own face. "I wanted to say that first," she teased.

Heather's POV

It took so long. But once she saw Hanna visit their mother she knew this would happen. Her eyes followed the slim back of her intended target. "Mrs. Hastings!"

"Hanna?"

Heather smiled and took a step forward. "I'm glad I caught you."

"What are you talking about? How did you possibly-" her eyes light up with understanding as she took a step backward. "Why don't you go ahead and go back with Spencer now. I'll see you later."

"You're much too intelligent to play dumb, Mrs. Hastings." Heather took another step forward, needing to get the older woman back closer to her car. "I know that you know who I am."

She didn't wait for agreement or acceptance. Her eyes glanced over Mrs. Hastings' shoulder and gave Wren a nod of affirmation. She turned around, not needing to watch as he rendered her unconscious. He would do good work; especially after allowing the bitches to escape the other night. He was still sucking up. She turned around at the sound of a dull thump.

The sight of Mrs. Hastings unconscious on the ground caused a distinct smile to appear on her face. This was going to work wonderfully. "Do you want to text them or should I?"

**Next Chapter**

_"No."_

_"Toby..." she sighed. She interlocked their fingers together and leaned up on her tip toes to press a soft kiss to his mouth. "Everything will be fine. I'll be fine."_

_"**No." **He repeated himself, this time his voice was much more forceful. "Not without me."_


End file.
